Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Victor Howard Metcalf
Subject(s): Armed Forces--Administration, Bonaparte, Charles J. (Charles Joseph), 1851-1921, England, Germany, Japan, Russia, United States. Navy, War, Maritime (International law)
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President Roosevelt informs Secretary of the Navy Metcalf that the directive from his predecessor, Charles J. Bonaparte, classifying medical ships as floating hospitals and placed under the command of a medical officer, is correct and will be enacted. The Army operates their medical ships in this way, and Roosevelt sees no reason the Navy cannot operate in this manner just as well. He provides precedents in American navies as well as international navies for operating this way, and points out that in times of war the presence of a line officer on the ship may imply a violation of the ship’s neutrality.
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1908-01-04
Creator(s)
Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919
Recipient
Metcalf, Victor Howard, 1853-1936
Language
English
Period
U.S. President – 2nd Term (March 1905-February 1909)
Repository
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Page Count
4
Production Method
Record Type
Multi-image
Resource Type
Rights
These images are presented through a cooperative effort between the Library of Congress and Dickinson State University. No known restrictions on publication.
Citation
Cite this Record
Chicago:
Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Victor Howard Metcalf. [January 4, 1908]. Library of Congress Manuscript Division.
https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o201196. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
MLA:
Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919. Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Victor Howard Metcalf. [4 Jan. 1908]. Multi-image.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. February 27, 2026. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o201196.
APA:
Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919., [1908, January 4]. Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Victor Howard Metcalf.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
Retrieved from https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o201196.
Cite this Collection
Chicago:
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/collection/library-of-congress-manuscript-division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
MLA:
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. February 27, 2026. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/collection/library-of-congress-manuscript-division.
APA:
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. Retrieved from https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/collection/library-of-congress-manuscript-division.
