Letter from Charles J. Bonaparte to Theodore Roosevelt
Subject(s): Armed Forces--Appropriations and expenditures, Authorship, Burton, Theodore E. (Theodore Elijah), 1851-1929, Cannon, Joseph Gurney, 1836-1926, Collisions at sea--Accidents--Investigation, Converse, George Albert, 1844-1909, Evans, Robley D. (Robley Dunglison), 1846-1912, Fan mail, Foss, George Edmund, 1863-1936, Hale, Eugene, 1836-1918, Hours of labor--Law and legislation, Illinois (Battleship), Kearsarge (Battleship), Loeb, William, 1866-1937, Matthews, Crosby, 1887-1954, Militia, Recruiting and enlistment, Tawney, James A. (James Albertus), 1855-1919, United States. Navy
Click on image to zoom in
Secretary of the Navy Bonaparte updates President Roosevelt on several matters. The Court of Enquiry’s findings exculpate Admiral Robley D. Evans, though Admiral George Albert Converse hints that Evans’s rapid signals may have contributed to the collision. Bonaparte will scrutinize the matter carefully. He encloses a report from the commander of the Portsmouth, and though the New Jersey militiamen performed no “great feat,” he suggests sending praise anyway because naval officers are “decidedly ‘sniffy'” toward them. Bonaparte has received many favorable letters about anarchism, but the occasional unfavorable ones amuse him and he has enclosed one such letter. He feels that the Navy faces an uphill battle meeting its needs due to the clashing views of those on the deciding committees.
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1906-08-19
Creator(s)
Bonaparte, Charles J. (Charles Joseph), 1851-1921
Recipient
Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919
Language
English
Period
U.S. President – 2nd Term (March 1905-February 1909)
Repository
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Page Count
8
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 Charles J. Bonaparte to Theodore Roosevelt. [August 19, 1906]. Library of Congress Manuscript Division.
https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o53878. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
MLA:
Bonaparte, Charles J. (Charles Joseph), 1851-1921. Letter from Charles J. Bonaparte to Theodore Roosevelt. [19 Aug. 1906]. Multi-image.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. January 15, 2026. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o53878.
APA:
Bonaparte, Charles J. (Charles Joseph), 1851-1921., [1906, August 19]. Letter from Charles J. Bonaparte to Theodore Roosevelt.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
Retrieved from https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o53878.
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 15, 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.