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Secretary of the Navy Metcalf sends President Roosevelt a document related to their conversation of the previous day.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-04-13
Secretary of the Navy Metcalf returns to President Roosevelt a letter from James F. J. Archibald detailing what Archibald feels is necessary to provide adequate Naval defense for the Pacific coast. Metcalf also sends a report from the General Board of the Navy, as requested by William Loeb, Roosevelt’s secretary. Metcalf states he agrees with the board’s report.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-03-01
In compliance with President Roosevelt’s November 28 letter to former Secretary of the Navy Charles J. Bonaparte, Victor Howard Metcalf has enclosed the general board’s opinion on the merits of armored cruisers and battleships.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-01-15
Victor Howard Metcalf informs William Loeb that he has his letter from the 12th and that he is enclosing Captain A. T. Mahan’s letter to the president and President Roosevelt’s reply to that letter.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-01-14
Secretary of Commerce and Labor Metcalf discusses the procedures for implementing the Chinese exclusion law.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-06-24
Secretary of Commerce and Labor Metcalf issues instructions on how the Chinese exclusion laws shall be enforced including who may and may not enter the United States, how to verify status, and ramifications for improper enforcement.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-06-24
Secretary of Commerce and Labor Metcalf returns the proposed draft of President’s Roosevelt letter to the Acting Secretary of State. Metcalf has stricken out after the words “minor children” the following: “and their body and house servants.” Metcalf has done this because he believes that is it extremely doubtful that the body and house servants of merchants, travelers, students, and teachers could, under the Exclusion Law, be admitted to the United States. Only the body and house servants of the Chinese Government are expressly permitted to enter the United State under similar conditions as the officials.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-06-24
Victor Howard Metcalf provides President Roosevelt with a series of correspondences regarding an immigration inspector, George C. Triick, who was accused of mistreating Mr. Chow Tszchi, a Chinese dignitary. The department agrees that the Government should provide the utmost courtesy to Chinese people but notes issues in proving citizenship or defining who could be classified as a Chinese laborer. Chinese merchants, teachers, students and bankers are welcome, but not laborers with falsified Chinese papers pretending to be of a higher class. A treaty written in 1904 sought to deal with falsified records but the Chinese thought it was too strict. Metcalf notes any concerns of harshness in the enforcement of exclusionary laws is necessary to combat those trying to skirt the system.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-06-07
Howard Metcalf writes to Benjamin F. Barnes acknowledging receipt of a letter from Governor Odell of New York. Metcalf summarizes Odell’s letter. The letter is about friction between officials at Ellis Island and the State Board of Alienists of New York.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-12-21
Secretary of the Navy Metcalf submits his resignation.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-11-13
Secretary of the Navy Metcalf, in response to President Roosevelt’s recent request, assures Roosevelt that the Department of the Navy is already preparing sketches of battleships with 14-inch guns. Metcalf details the progress of such plans, which are anticipated to be well developed by the end of December.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-09-17
Secretary of the Navy Metcalf writes President Roosevelt about several matters. First, he addresses reports about the water line of the armor belts on existing battleships and responds to suggestions that the belts should be raised. Citing reports by Admiral Robley D. Evans, who is sailing to the Pacific with the Atlantic Fleet, Metcalf does not recommend this. In fact, he believes lowered would be better. Metcalf also informs Roosevelt of plans to modify turret ammunition hoists. Finally, Metcalf says he does not support a plan to appoint a line officer Assistant Secretary of the Navy.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-04-07
Secretary of the Navy Metcalf informs Senator Hale of the Committee on Naval Affairs about the circumstances leading to the approval of the plans for the battleships Delaware and North Dakota. Metcalf explains that the designs received consideration from many different sources, including the board on construction, the special board on designs, and the Chief of the Bureau of Navigation. Metcalf was subsequently notified that there was some concern regarding the armor belt on these ships, but consulted with several sources and determined that the armor plating on the ships as designed seemed to be sufficient. He also invites Hale to examine some plans for a new type of ship that is to be used for scouting purposes.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-03-09
Pursuant to a previous direction given by President Roosevelt to evaluate Subic Bay as a site for a naval base, Secretary of the Navy Metcalf forwards Roosevelt a letter sent to the Naval Department by a member of the Joint Board discussing this question.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-03-06
Secretary of the Navy Metcalf forwards President Roosevelt a report from Admiral George Dewey and the Joint Army and Navy Board regarding the defenses of the naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-03-05
Secretary of the Navy Metcalf forwards President Roosevelt a letter from the General Board about investigations leading to the choice of Subig Bay as a naval base.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-02-19
Secretary of the Navy Metcalf tells Bernard Goldsmith that the Department of the Navy will not pay for the inventor of the Bender Smoke Consumer to travel to the United States.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-11-16
Secretary of the Navy Metcalf updates President Roosevelt on the coal supply of the fleet traveling to the Pacific. The Navy Department has been unable to find coal at reasonable prices from American ships, and so has organized coal from foreign ships following regulations set in 1904. Metcalf has supplied opinions from Attorney General Bonaparte, and will proceed with this plan unless Roosevelt provides instructions to the contrary.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-10-18
Secretary of the Navy Metcalf informs President Roosevelt that the torpedo boat destroyers recently ordered by the Navy are not as fast as some foreign vessels, but that speed was sacrificed for other qualities deemed more important. The Board on Construction emphasized the importance of seaworthiness, sea endurance, coal efficiency, and ability to maintain speed. Metcalf warns that the high trial-trip speeds reported by other vessels are usually achieved at the expense of other vital qualities.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-09-26
Secretary of Commerce and Labor Metcalf responds to a resolution requiring his department to furnish the Senate with all documents related to his investigation of Japanese students attending public schools in San Francisco. Metcalf states that the investigation was undertaken under the authority and as the representative of President Roosevelt and not in his capacity as Secretary of Commerce and Labor. The documents, therefore, are now under the custody and control of Roosevelt, to whom Metcalf has forwarded a copy of this letter.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-12-06