Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Albert L. Key
Subject(s): Converse, George Albert, 1844-1909, Evans, Robley D. (Robley Dunglison), 1846-1912, Fox, Gustavus Vasa, 1821-1883, Naval art and science, Sims, William Sowden, 1858-1936, United States. Navy, Winslow, Cameron McRae, 1854-1932
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President Roosevelt has read Lieutenant Commander Key’s reports with interest and thinks that Key, Cameron McRae Winslow, and William Sowden Sims have served well by calling attention to defects in the naval administration of the United States. In spite of this, however, Roosevelt thinks that some of the criticisms have been exaggerated and that the solutions Key has proposed may not work as well as he thinks. Roosevelt discusses the placement of armor belts on ships as one example of this. He also speaks about a proposed shift within the Navy that will give line officers more authority than they currently have and says that the suggested balance will actually accomplish very little and that what is required is more along the lines of a change in staff.
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1908-03-26
Creator(s)
Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919
Recipient
Key, Albert L. (Albert Lenoir), 1860-1950
Language
English
Period
U.S. President – 2nd Term (March 1905-February 1909)
Repository
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Page Count
2
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 Albert L. Key. [March 26, 1908]. Library of Congress Manuscript Division.
https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o202112. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
MLA:
Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919. Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Albert L. Key. [26 Mar. 1908]. Multi-image.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. January 16, 2026. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o202112.
APA:
Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919., [1908, March 26]. Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Albert L. Key.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
Retrieved from https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o202112.
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. January 16, 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.
