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Historically important typed letter signed by Theodore Roosevelt - with his handwritten edits, regarding the explosion of the U.S.S. Maine, still debated as either an accident or intentional sabotage by Spain which, either way, precipitated the Spanish-American War. Dated 28 February 1898, less than two weeks after the explosion, Roosevelt writes to Navy Captain Charles O'Neil, Chief of the Ordnance Bureau regarding the swirling claims surrounding the event.
The U.S.S. Maine had been sent to Cuba in late January 1898 to guard American interests during the Cuban fight for independence from Spain. On 15 February, shortly after its arrival, the battleship exploded, killing 268 crewmen and precipitating President William McKinley to seek the use of military force by Congress. With Hearst newspapers baiting its readers into believing the explosion was sabotage (''Remember the Maine! To hell with Spain!'' they cried), the U.S. began a blockade of Cuba on 21 April 1898, and war between Spain and the United States was borne.
Theodore Roosevelt here seeks to manage the messaging through ''unofficial'' channels just days after the explosion. Roosevelt is particularly perturbed that Navy Captain and math Professor Philip R. Alger, an expert on explosives, publicly stated that the explosion was due to a spontaneous fire in the coal bunker. Roosevelt argues that Alger could not possibly know this, and writes that others believe ''the explosion was not accidental.'' Of course, Roosevelt would rise to national fame during the Spanish-American War as the leader of his Rough Riders, directly leading to his Presidential nomination and election in 1900. After the declaration of war in fact, he resigned his commission as Assistant Secretary of the Navy to fight. Letter reads in part,
''...don't you think it inadvisable for Prof. Alger to express opinions in this matter? Captain Bradford [chief of the Bureau of Equipment] has all along believed that Prof. Alger is absolutely in error in his views. He believes the explosion was not accidental. Captain Clover [head of the Office of Naval Intelligence] is inclined to the same belief. I should certainly feel that it was not advisable for either of them to make public any such statement, and it seems to me that it is inadvisable for Prof. Alger to make these statements.''
Roosevelt continues, ''...I don't want to bother the Secretary, or to bring on any wrangle in the Department, and I should just like to get your views about the matter unofficially. Mr. Alger cannot possibly know anything about the accident. All the best men in the Department agree that, whether possible or not, it certainly is possible [underlined] that the ship was blown up by a mine which might, or might not, have been towed under her; and when we have a court sitting to find out these facts it seems to me to the last point inadvisable for any person connected with the Navy Department to express his opinion publicly in the matter, and especially to give elaborate reasons for one side or the other. The fact that Mr. Alger happens to take the Spanish side and to imply that the explosion was probably due to some fault of the Navy, whether in the Construction Department, or among the officers, has, of course, nothing to do with the matter...[signed] Theodore Roosevelt''.
The original draft manuscript for Roosevelt's letter is held at the Library of Congress. This letter was previously sold by Charles Hamilton in an auction dated 21 May 1965. Two page letter on two sheets measures 8'' x 10.5'' on Navy Department embossed letterhead. Folds and light toning, overall very good to near fine condition.