Tweedmouth, Edward Marjoribanks, Baron, 1849-1909

Letter from Whitelaw Reid to Theodore Roosevelt

Ambassador Reid informs President Roosevelt he has heard from Sirdar F. R. Wingate, who is gathering information for Roosevelt regarding his African trip. Believing it will amuse Roosevelt, Reid shares “the queer transmutations” that the third modus vivendi on the Newfoundland fisheries underwent. Roosevelt’s perplexity about journalist Edward Dicey amuses Reid, who shares the same opinion of him. Reid details the seeming ill-luck of British statesmen and their families. Ogden Mills Reid, Reid’s son, plans to return to the United States to participate in the presidential election.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-08-22

Creator(s)

Reid, Whitelaw, 1837-1912

Letter from Whitelaw Reid to Theodore Roosevelt

Ambassador Reid writes President Roosevelt about a number of issues, both political and social. He adds more information about Lord Edward Marjoribanks Tweedmouth’s mental breakdown and discusses the man who will replace him. Reid also relays an indignant letter he got from Clarise S. Ramsay, an American who wrongly felt she should have been invited to a royal ball. Roosevelt’s plan to go on a safari in Africa after leaving office is, Reid thinks, a very good one, and Roosevelt should not need to worry about receiving proper treatment and courtesies from British officials there. On a personal note, Reid thanks Roosevelt for his kind wishes at the news of his daughter Jean’s engagement to John H. Ward. He discusses his future son-in-law and the couple’s plans following their marriage.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-06-04

Creator(s)

Reid, Whitelaw, 1837-1912

Letter from Whitelaw Reid to Theodore Roosevelt

Ambassador Reid updates President Roosevelt on a number of matters happening in England, including the nervous breakdown of Lord Edward Marjoribanks Tweedmouth, whose recent trouble relating to a letter from German Emperor William II was only the latest in a long string of misfortunes. He also offers insight into the English interest in the American Presidential election, and explains that he has told questioners that he believes Roosevelt will answer the call if his party ultimately nominates him against his wishes. Reid also discusses the lack of a profitable liberal newspaper in England.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-06-01

Creator(s)

Reid, Whitelaw, 1837-1912

Letter from Whitelaw Reid to Theodore Roosevelt

Ambassador to England Whitelaw Reid updates President Roosevelt on the ongoing cabinet crisis. King Edward VII did not return to meet with the new Prime Minister H. H. Asquith, upsetting the English, who value precedence. Little is going on while Asquith is in the process of putting together his new cabinet. Reid encloses two articles he believes Roosevelt will enjoy. He also discusses the wisdom of allowing newly-appointed Ambassador to Germany David Jayne Hill be guest of honor at the Pilgrim Club dinner.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-04-09

Creator(s)

Reid, Whitelaw, 1837-1912

Letter from Whitelaw Reid to Theodore Roosevelt

Ambassador Whitelaw Reid believes that the Kaiser-Tweedmouth incident seems to be closed and out of the mind of the public, and sends President Roosevelt a number of news clippings cataloging the incident. Reid remarks on a number of other subjects, including an upcoming visit by William Lyon Mackenzie King, his discussions with Edward Grey, and the declining health of Prime Minister Henry Campbell-Bannerman.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-03-12

Creator(s)

Reid, Whitelaw, 1837-1912

Letter from Whitelaw Reid to Theodore Roosevelt

Ambassador Reid updates President Roosevelt about the recent turmoil in Great Britain surrounding an exchange of letters between Edward Marjoribanks, Baron Tweedmouth, and Emperor William II of Germany. The Emperor wrote privately to Lord Tweedmouth, and in passing mentioned the British Navy. News of this mention spread to the press, who seized upon news of the letter to blow the incident out of proportion and make it seem as if Germany were trying to influence British naval policy. Reid sends a selection of newspaper clippings following the development of the issue in the press. Additionally, Reid reports that Henry Campbell-Bannerman’s condition is not improving, and it appears that H. H. Asquith will be his successor as Prime Minister.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-03-10

Creator(s)

Reid, Whitelaw, 1837-1912

Letter from Whitelaw Reid to Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt

Ambassador Reid updates Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt on the visits of royalties to London, England, including the dinner held for German Emperor William II and his wife Auguste Viktoria. Reid raves about Auguste Viktoria’s dress and notes she wore the “biggest pearls I ever saw worn in any part of the world.” Reid also tells Roosevelt about the Bourbon wedding he and Mrs. Whitelaw Reid attended. The ambassador includes an anecdote about Spanish King Alfonso XIII who wanted to change his clothes, but his wife Maria Cristina told him he could not because the luggage had already left. Reid concludes by telling Roosevelt about a luncheon for the new Mexican minister and a dinner for the Alfonso XIII and Maria Cristina of Spain. Reid discusses his plans for a leave of absence, which will include stopping in New York.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-11-20

Creator(s)

Reid, Whitelaw, 1837-1912

The German Emperor and Lord Tweedmouth

Reuters reports that while German Emperor William II wrote a letter to Edward Marjoribanks, Lord Tweedmouth, he did not attempt to interfere in British naval policy. There is no objection to the publication of the Emperor’s letter, but officials in Germany regard the correspondence as personal between the Emperor and Lord Tweedmouth. There has been much discussion about the letter in various countries.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-03-07

Creator(s)

London Times

The Russian Press

A summary of the reaction of several Russian newspapers to an incident arising from a letter German Emperor William II sent to Edward Marjoribanks, Baron Tweedmouth. Several of the newspapers criticize the letter as a breach of private correspondence and diplomatic etiquette.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-03-11

Creator(s)

The Times

French Opinion and “The Times”

French politicians consider H. H. Asquith’s statement in the British House of Commons a triumph for The Times. Many people in France have also been very interested in the recent controversy concerning a letter between German Emperor William II and Lord Tweedmouth. The widespread belief is that foreign leaders should be prevented from interfering in internal affairs of other countries.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-03-11

Creator(s)

The Times

The Emperor William and Lord Tweedmouth: German Arguments

The Times provides excerpts from several German newspapers about the furor surrounding a letter that German Emperor William II wrote to Lord Tweedmouth about the British Navy. The German papers place the blame, not on the letter, but on The Times for driving a hysterical response to the letter, and while the British Parliament has left the issue behind, the British press and public is still focusing on it.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-03-11

Creator(s)

The Times

Austrian opinion

Austrians believe that Parliament handled the recent letter between German Emperor William II and Lord Tweedmouth with “reserve and dignity.” The argument that the letter was essentially the same as a verbal discussion is not, however, accepted, as such an in-person meeting would be highly unlikely to happen under the circumstances that the letter was written. Many newspapers in Austria hold different opinions on the way The Times reported on the situation.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-03-10

Creator(s)

The Times

French Comments

Several French newspapers have commented on recent actions by the British Parliament relating to the letters between German Emperor William II and Lord Tweedmouth. While English political parties have their differences, they are united in their desire to remain free from foreign influence, which is what it seems that Emperor William II was attempting to do. Nonetheless, Parliament seems to have handled the situation tactfully, and the French press should consider the matter closed.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-03-10

Creator(s)

The Times

The German Emperor and Lord Tweedmouth: Satisfaction in Berlin

German newspapers seem to have reported adequately on the British Parliament’s response to the affair involving the letter sent by German Emperor William II to Lord Tweedmouth, and are satisfied with how the situation was handled. Many of the papers, however, have treated English public opinion inaccurately and “are mere caricatures.” There is some talk of publishing the Emperor’s letter, but there is presently no copy of it.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-03-10

Creator(s)

The Times

The German Emperor and the British Admiralty

It has been confirmed that Edward Marjoribanks, First Lord of the Admiralty, communicated with German Emperor William II in private letters about a variety of topics, including British and German naval policy. It does not seem that the present Navy Estimates were affected by the letter, and it may even be possible that the letters did not directly reference the estimates, but it is unacceptable for the First Lord of the Admiralty to communicate with foreign leaders on questions of British Naval Policy. Full publication of the letters is a matter of urgent national importance.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-03-07

Creator(s)

London Times

The German Emperor and Lord Tweedmouth

German Emperor William II recently wrote to First Lord of the Admiralty Edward Marjoribanks, Lord Tweedmouth, on the subject of British and German naval policy. It is believed that this letter was an effort to influence British naval policy. The author sets up a hypothetical scenario where Edward VII, King of Great Britain, wrote to try to influence German naval policy, and predicts that in this case Germany would be filled with outcries of anger, and would summarily increase the size of its navy. If William II has comments about the British Navy, there are official channels of communication which should be used.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-03-06

Creator(s)

London Times

Under which king

A letter to the editor of the London Times alleges that German Emperor William II has recently written to Edward Marjoribanks, Lord Tweedmouth, about British and German naval policy, and that this letter is attempting to improperly influence British naval policy for the benefit of Germany. The author suggests that this letter be laid before Parliament so that the contents can become public.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-03-06

Creator(s)

Unknown

Newspaper article on letter from William II, German Emperor to Edward Marjoribanks, Baron Tweedmouth

The Standard has learned that before responding to the letter from German Emperor William II, Lord Tweedmouth conferred with Foreign Secretary Edward Grey to see how it should be treated. Grey felt that it should be treated and responded to as a personal letter, and regardless of subsequent events, The Standard praises Tweedmouth’s actions in this respect. While there are benefits to not publishing this letter, as it was treated as a personal letter, The Standard feels that overall it would be more beneficial to publish the exchange. By not publishing the letter, and letting news about it come out through rumors and conjecture, the issue is more muddled than it otherwise would be.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-03-10

Creator(s)

The Standard

The end of it.

The Daily News proclaims that the incident of German Emperor William II’s letter to Baron Tweedmouth can be considered as closed, as Tweedmouth has addressed the House of Lords and presented the facts of the case. After receiving the letter from William II, Tweedmouth conferred with Edward Grey, who agreed that the letter should be treated as a private letter, and not an official one. After learning of the letter, however, The Times blew the issue out of proportion and drove public outcry, and the Daily News speculates on what would have driven this sort of irresponsible journalism.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-03-10

Creator(s)

Daily News

Kaiser’s letter

Both houses of Parliament have rebuked The Times for inciting a furor over the recent exchange of letters between Baron Tweedmouth and German Emperor William II. Opposing political parties united in their disapproval of the way that the newspaper treated the incident, and prominent politicians have expressed their satisfaction with how Tweedmouth handled the situation. Former Prime Minister Archibald Philip Primrose, Earl of Rosebery, stated that the treatment of the issue in the press has made Great Britain the laughingstock of Europe, and more broadly denounced anti-German sentiment and yellow journalism.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-03-10

Creator(s)

Daily News