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Admiral Merrell informs Secretary of the Navy Metcalf that President Roosevelt has misunderstood several points recently made by the General Board, and attempts to clarify its statements.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-08-15
Rear Admiral Merrell of the Naval War College and Navy General Board has analyzed a recent memorandum from Rear Admiral H. N. Manney in which Manney asked President Roosevelt to reconsider sending the Great White Fleet to the Pacific Ocean, in case of war with Japan. While the General Board agrees with Manney that Japan’s current finances would make war nearly impossible, they believe that should war develop, the Philippines would be a primary target of the Japanese, rather than the Atlantic Coast of the United States, as Manney suggests. Merrell and the Board reiterate their recommendation to send the fleet to the Pacific, and indeed recommend consideration of having permanent fleets in the Atlantic and Pacific.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-08-02