Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Victor Howard Metcalf
Subject(s): Coast defenses, Governmental investigations, Hawaii--Honolulu, Hawaii--Pearl Harbor, Philippines, South China Sea--Manila Bay, South China Sea--Subic Bay, Taft, William H. (William Howard), 1857-1930, United States. Department of the Army, United States. Department of the Navy, United States. Dept. of the Army, United States. Dept. of the Navy, United States. Joint Chiefs of Staff
Click on image to zoom in
President Roosevelt instructs Secretary of the Navy Metcalf that he would like the Joint Board to provide him with a plan elaborating what the United States should do regarding its defenses of Hawaii, particularly looking at fortifying Pearl Harbor or Honolulu. Roosevelt feels that conversations on a similar topic relating to the defense of the Philippines were one-sided, and have caused harm to the United States by recommending the construction of fortifications at Subic Bay, when such fortifications are not defensible by land, but only by sea. In addition to the plan he has requested, Roosevelt also directs that Metcalf and Secretary of War William H. Taft investigate the actions of the previous board in recommending Subic Bay.
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1908-02-11
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. [February 11, 1908]. Library of Congress Manuscript Division.
https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o201594. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
MLA:
Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919. Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Victor Howard Metcalf. [11 Feb. 1908]. Multi-image.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. February 6, 2026. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o201594.
APA:
Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919., [1908, February 11]. 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/o201594.
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 6, 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.
