Letter from Albert L. Key to Eugene Hale

Subject(s): Battleships--Design and construction, Capps, W. L. (Washington Lee), 1864-1935, Converse, George Albert, 1844-1909, Governmental investigations, United States. Navy Department, United States. Navy Dept.

Click on image to zoom in

/ 3

Albert L. Key encloses an additional statement he is submitting in regard to Admiral George Albert Converse’s report on defects in American naval vessels. He has complied with Senator Eugene Hale’s ruling and limited his report to comments made by Converse and Chief Constructor W. L. Capps, and left out any mention of administrative organization in the Navy Department. He tells Hale that his only aim is to establish the facts and point out errors in testimony.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-03-21

Creator(s)

Key, Albert L. (Albert Lenoir), 1860-1950

Recipient

Hale, Eugene, 1836-1918

Language

English

Period

U.S. President – 2nd Term (March 1905-February 1909)

Repository

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Page Count

3

Production Method

Typed

Record Type

Multi-image

Resource Type

Letter

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 Albert L. Key to Eugene Hale. [March 21, 1908]. Library of Congress Manuscript Division.
https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o58374. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.

MLA:

Key, Albert L. (Albert Lenoir), 1860-1950. Letter from Albert L. Key to Eugene Hale. [21 Mar. 1908]. Multi-image.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. April 16, 2026. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o58374.

APA:

Key, Albert L. (Albert Lenoir), 1860-1950., [1908, March 21]. Letter from Albert L. Key to Eugene Hale.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
Retrieved from https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o58374.

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. April 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.

Related Digital Library Records

Additional statement by Commander A. L. Key, U.S. Navy, to the chairman and members of the Senate Naval Committee

Additional statement by Commander A. L. Key, U.S. Navy, to the chairman and members of the Senate Naval Committee

Commander Key responds to reports by Rear Admiral George Albert Converse and Chief Constructor of the Navy W. L. Capps about the construction of American battleships compared to Japanese and British battleships. Key points out errors and inconsistencies in the reports, and argues that the water line armor belts on American battleships are incorrectly placed and not thick enough. He believes the United States needs to be building ships based on the most up-to-date knowledge about battleship construction and design. He also takes issue with the lack of battle tactics practice in the Atlantic Fleet’s maneuvers.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-03-21

Existing administrative organization of the Navy Department

Existing administrative organization of the Navy Department

The report discusses the administrative organization of the Navy Department, noting that the chiefs of various bureaus all report the the Secretary of the Navy, who is a civilian. The writer advocates for streamlining the bureaucracy in the department to increase efficiency, and to place line officers and other men directly involved with battle and preparing the fleet for action in positions of greater authority.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-03-21

Hearings before the Committee on Naval Affairs, United States Senate, on the bill (S.3335) to increase the efficiency of the personnel of the Navy and Marine Corps of the United States

Hearings before the Committee on Naval Affairs, United States Senate, on the bill (S.3335) to increase the efficiency of the personnel of the Navy and Marine Corps of the United States

The Senate Committee on Naval Affairs interviews a number of naval officers on some alleged defects in the construction of several battleships now being built. Chief among these concerns are the questions of the placement of the armor belt, the positions of the guns, and the design of the hoists to provide the turrets with ammunition.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-03-21

Search the Digital Library