Swettenham, James Alexander, 1846-1933

President Roosevelt directs the Department of State to refer to the concluding part of his letter of April 10 regarding documentation of the incident with Governor of Jamaica James Alexander Swettenham. Roosevelt instructs that the reports from those involved, including Admiral Robley D. Evans, Rear Admiral C. H. Davis, Father Mathew Carlin Gleeson, the ship surgeon, and all officers, be readied for publication. At some point, the affair “may see the light,” in Great Britain, and Roosevelt wants “immediately to produce our whole case in answer.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-08-24

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Senator Lodge writes to President Roosevelt about the career implications for Admiral C. H. Davis should Atlantic Fleet Commander Admiral Robley D. Evans retire. Lodge feels that Davis deserves the position more than Admiral Caspar F. Goodrich and that Evans’ actions in Jamaica after the 1907 earthquake should not be held against him. Lodge adds that his sister-in-law’s health continues to deteriorate and that according to the doctors she should have died several days before.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-04-09

Creator(s)

Lodge, Henry Cabot, 1850-1924

British Foreign Secretary Grey updates President Roosevelt about James Bryce’s plans regarding his upcoming trip to Canada and the ongoing conversations about the best position to take at the International Peace Conference. Grey hopes the diplomatic debacle following Jamaican Governor James Alexander Swettenham’s refusal of American help after the Kingston Earthquake is blowing over, as well as the conflict between the Japanese Government and America regarding California. Grey thinks that King Léopold II of Belgium should relinquish control of the Congo, which he believes should pass to the Belgian Government.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-02-12

Creator(s)

Grey of Fallodon, Edward Grey, Viscount, 1862-1933

Ambassador Carter, Secretary of the American Embassy in London, thanks President Roosevelt for his letters, and for having his daughter Mildred stay at the White House. Carter discusses the response of the British public and press to the “Jamaica incident.” This likely refers to the inadequate relief provided by British Governor of Jamaica James Alexander Swettenham to Jamaican residents after the Kingston earthquake, and the subsequent intervention by American Rear Admiral C. H. Davis. The reaction in Britain is one of “amazement, indignation, and mortification.” However, Roosevelt’s answers to British Secretary of State for War R. B. Haldane’s and British Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Edward Grey’s telegrams “had a most soothing effect.” Carter also references an earlier conversation he and Roosevelt had about Swettenham, in connection with the Panama Canal.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-01-25

Creator(s)

Carter, John R. (John Ridgely), 1862-1944

Rear Admiral Davis submits a report to Secretary of the Navy Metcalf about his actions at Jamaica, providing relief following an earthquake there. In particular, Davis notes the actions taken by his sailors, and Jamaica Governor James Alexander Swettenham’s request for them to withdraw.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-01-21

Creator(s)

Davis, C. H. (Charles Henry), 1845-1921

Assistant surgeon W. N. McDonell reports to Medical Inspector Ames on activities that he and other naval surgeons conducted during the relief efforts in Jamaica following the earthquake. Many Americans in Jamaica have expressed disapproval of the Governor’s handling of the disaster relief efforts, and McDonell agrees with this sentiment. The U.S. Navy eventually established a hospital ashore because of the many requests for assistance it received.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-01-20

Creator(s)

McDonell, W. N. (William Neil), 1876-1941

Ambassador Reid updates President Roosevelt about his diplomatic activities and assures him that he has been keeping Secretary of State Elihu Root in the loop. Reid suspects that the Russians and Germans are trying to get an American diplomat to make a statement regarding disarmament, so they can better position themselves at the upcoming Peace Conference.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-02-18

Creator(s)

Reid, Whitelaw, 1837-1912

Howson W. Cole, Assistant Surgeon for the Navy, reports to Navy Medical Inspector Ames his observations and work concerning the relief effort after the earthquake in Kingston, Jamaica. Cole reports that their offers to help care for the wounded were refused by Dr. Karr at the Central Hospital, although Karr did request some medical supplies. This refusal was despite the clear lack of appropriate medical services for all the injured, and Cole provides case-specific examples. Because of the clear need for more aid, Admiral C. H. Davis set up an American Hospital, where Cole and others saw as many patients as possible. Cole provides details for a number of patient cases, and concludes that no matter what Governor James Alexander Swettenham believes, medical aid is “certainly needed and asked for, by the poor wretches who are even yet without treatment.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-01-20

Creator(s)

Cole, Howson W. (Howson White), 1878-1925

Navy Medical Inspector Ames writes a narrative to Admiral Davis relating the events that unfolded when he arrived in Kingston, Jamaica, to provide medical relief after the earthquake. Ames found the city of Kingston to be absolutely demolished, and the populace to be in a “dazed, frightened, and nervous condition.” When Ames offers medical assistance and advice to Governor James Alexander Swettenham, the assistance is refused, and the suggestions denied, with the exception of some limited supplies for which the governor is thankful. Because both Ames and Davis, among others, found that the official city response was lacking, Davis informed Governor Swettenham that the naval medical officers would establish an independent hospital that would serve everyone “irrespective of age, sex, creed, or nationality.” The Jesuit fathers gave their cottage in Winchester Park as the site of the hospital, and they were able to treat many injured people with the help of the Sisters of Mercy. Ames offers comments on the casualties and destruction caused by the earthquake.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-01-20

Creator(s)

Ames, Howard E., 1851-1918

Charles Walter Tait, the mayor of Kingston, Jamaica, writes to Admiral Davis to express his “deep and sincere regret that any unpleasantness should have arisen” that would have prompted Davis to withdraw any aid to the city and island after the events of the January 14, 1907, earthquake. Tait asks Davis not to withdraw his assistance.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-01-19

Creator(s)

Tait, Charles Walter, 1839-1907

Lieutenant Scott from the USS Missouri reports on his landing team’s work in disaster relief in Kingston, Jamaica. The men under his command assisted in tearing down walls that had been made unstable, removing dead bodies from the rubble, and disinfecting streets and areas where the dead were found. The people of the city were deeply appreciative of their help.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-01-19

Creator(s)

Scott, W. Pitt (William Pitt), 1873-1942

Lieutenant-Commander Hoff, of the USS Missouri, updates for Captain Pendleton accounts of the United States Navy’s aid efforts in Kingston, Jamaica, following the earthquake. This aid took the form of supplies and medical assistance given to hospitals, food and other assistance given to Americans on the island, and dangerous damaged buildings destroyed with gun cotton (an explosive now known as nitrocellulose). The Governor of Jamaica, John Alexander Swettenham, told the Americans not to destroy any buildings without the owner’s approval.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-01-19

Creator(s)

Hoff, Arthur Bainbridge 1869-1925

Lieutenant Gilmer of the USS Missouri provides a detailed description of the United States naval response to the January 14, 1907, earthquake in Kingston, Jamaica. Gilmer explains that the Navy landed in Kingston on January 17, setting up a hospital, landing forces, and providing aid. Gilmer describes the destruction of the city both from the earthquake and the subsequent looting and the various dead victims he sees and living victims he interacts with. After the governor of Jamaica asked the Navy to leave the island, Gilmer interacts with many who request that the Navy stay and insist they are badly needed. The Navy withdraws on January 19, back to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-01-19

Creator(s)

Gilmer, James B. (James Blair), 1876-1963

Admiral Davis directs Lewis Jacob Clark, as commanding officer of the USS Celtic, that the Celtic is not to leave supplies as there are enough in Kingston (following the earthquake), and that the Celtic is not to allow shore leave but to proceed to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, after as brief a stay as possible.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-01-19

Creator(s)

Davis, C. H. (Charles Henry), 1845-1921

Admiral Davis reports to Secretary of the Navy Metcalf that he has left two orders for the USS Celtic through the Vice-Consul. First, the Celtic is not to leave supplies as there are enough in Kingston (following the earthquake). Second, the Celtic is not to allow shore leave but to proceed to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, after as brief a stay as possible.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-01-19

Creator(s)

Davis, C. H. (Charles Henry), 1845-1921

Lieutenant Sticht reports on the United States Navy landing force under his command, which assisted the local forces in quelling a prison riot following an earthquake in Kingston, Jamaica. The warden was pleased with their performance, and others thought that if the U.S. forces had not arrived to help, the case would have been lost.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-01-17

Creator(s)

Sticht, John Low, 1873-1943

Rear Admiral C. H. Davis writes to Robley D. Evans, Commander in Chief of the U.S. Atlantic Fleet, regarding the situation in Jamaica. Much of Kingston has been damaged by the earthquake and ensuing fire, and is a scene of total confusion, although shipping has not been disturbed. The governor, James Alexander Swettenham, seems to have the situation under control, and has declined assistance from Davis’s men. Davis has respected this, but believes that Swettenham has overestimated the security of the situation, especially away from the main city, and feels that the Missouri should remain until the situation is clearer.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-01-17

Creator(s)

Davis, C. H. (Charles Henry), 1845-1921

George Otto Trevelyan writes to President Roosevelt about Panama and the Philippines, drawing parallels with Macaulay’s histories and Ancient Rome. Trevelyan discusses the British diplomatic service and his latest work on the American Revolution. He also describes a recent visit from Charles Francis Adams and his wife, and he muses on what it is like to be old. Trevelyan writes of their shared love of English literature, mentioning Milton, Chaucer, and W. W. Jacobs.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-12-12

Creator(s)

Trevelyan, George Otto, 1838-1928

The symbolic character John Bull gestures to President Roosevelt to come over to him. He stands beside a sign with a lion at the bottom that reads, “Precedent no. 1: ‘Once an Englishman always an Englishman.'” Roosevelt, on the other hand, stands on an area labeled U.S. with a tag that reads, “T.R. Champion Precedent Breaker.” On the left side stands Jamaican Governor James Alexander Swettenham who thinks, “Anything personal, I wonder?”

comments and context

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-02-02

President Roosevelt admires how George Otto Trevelyan handled matters with Jamaica Governor James A. Swettenham. Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt gifted Roosevelt a volume of Rennell Rodd’s histography, with the Frankish occupation of Greece being of particular interest to him. While he admires the “American money-maker” that contributes to the betterment of all society, he cannot say the same of a wealthy man who has made that money with little to no moral compass.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-04-10

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919