Cruisers (Warships)

Acting Secretary of the Navy Newberry’s letter helped President Roosevelt better understand the situation. Roosevelt believes the best itinerary for the Great White Fleet to follow is through the Straits of Magellan and returning through the Suez Canal, but he seeks advice from the Chief of the Bureau of Navigation, Admiral Willard H. Brownson. Roosevelt also believes several reporters should accompany the fleet.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-08-10

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

In compliance with President Roosevelt’s November 28 letter to former Secretary of the Navy Charles J. Bonaparte, Victor Howard Metcalf has enclosed the general board’s opinion on the merits of armored cruisers and battleships.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-01-15

Creator(s)

Metcalf, Victor Howard, 1853-1936

Admiral Dewey writes to President Roosevelt about the ineffectiveness of armored cruisers. Dewey says that while there are some specific uses for armored cruisers, generally either an unarmored cruiser or a battleship is a preferable choice. The General Board does not recommend building any armored cruisers.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-01-15

Creator(s)

Dewey, George, 1837-1917

List of battleships and cruisers in commission with armament detail of main and secondary batteries.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-01-26

Creator(s)

Unknown

Neptune, the Roman god of the sea, salutes a Japanese admiral on a gunboat. In the background are the ruins of a Russian naval fleet.

comments and context

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1904-03-02

President Roosevelt tells George Edmund Foss, chairman of the Committee on Naval Affairs, that he hopes that there will not be a delay in the building up of the navy. Roosevelt has heard second-hand that a member of the committee said there would no new battleships this year, which he strongly disagrees with. In Roosevelt’s opinion, heavy cruisers are fine, but heavy battleships are what the navy needs.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-01-10

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Secretary of the Navy Morton should keep President Roosevelt and Secretary of State Hay informed about any action by American cruisers in Shanghai.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-08-22

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

President Roosevelt would like to know what has been done about improving cruiser marksmanship, especially the guns of six-inch caliber and less.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-04-21

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Assistant Secretary of the Navy Roosevelt shares with Senator Lodge that he will not reply to the Journal again after its statements about the USS Indiana. He recently dined with President William McKinley and outlined his plans for naval and expeditionary forces should there be war with Spain. Roosevelt commends Lodge for his new volume of essays.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1897-09-21

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Assistant Secretary of the Navy Roosevelt shares with President McKinley his belief that a battleship should only be sent to the Mediterranean if they intend to make a demonstration of force, in which case three or four armored vessels should be sent. He discusses each of the armored cruisers and battleships that could be sent, their current status, and whether they are suitable.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1897-04-26

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Ira Harris sends Theodore Roosevelt a manuscript of his story about the Spanish cruiser Infanta Maria Teresa, which fought in the Spanish-American War. After encouragement from former Secretary of the Navy John Davis Long, Harris believes he could get the story published somewhere, and asks for Roosevelt’s advice and opinion on it. Harris also thanks Roosevelt for appointing him to the steamboat inspection service when he was President. Harris has been focused on reform ever since and feels that he has done real good.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-02-10

Creator(s)

Harris, Ira, 1848-1913

President-elect Taft has communicated with Secretary of the Navy Truman Handy Newberry, who has offered him two cruisers to travel with. Paul Charlton has suggested that Taft bring Charles Sooysmith with him on his trip to inspect the Panama Canal, but Taft thinks it would be wise to consult with Alfred Nobel before making any decisions on this issue. Taft forwards President Roosevelt a letter from George W. Davis, who has also made suggestions of engineers who should accompany Taft.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-12-22

Creator(s)

Taft, William H. (William Howard), 1857-1930

Senator Lodge thanks President Roosevelt for the letter and says he is getting over a cold. Lodge is glad Roosevelt’s work on the ships has had an effect. Although he hated to trouble Roosevelt, Lodge had to share the information about Assistant Secretary of the Navy Truman Handy Newberry’s potential actions to prevent the purchase of ships, but he is glad that he may be wrong about the situation. Lodge feels good about William H. Taft’s attacks on William Jennings Bryan, and about the outcome in Maine, even in light of the prohibitory law.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-09-16

Creator(s)

Lodge, Henry Cabot, 1850-1924

Stewart Edward White is pleased President Roosevelt enjoyed his book, Arizona Nights, as he believes Roosevelt is a good critic. White thanks Roosevelt for the opportunity to accompany the cruisers on the target practice and sends his best regards to the president and Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-12-09

Creator(s)

White, Stewart Edward, 1873-1946

Major McIntyre forwards William Loeb a cablegram from General Clarence Ransom Edwards, located in Manila. Edwards relays the plan to send out cruisers commanded by Rear Admiral Joseph N. Hemphill: one to Vladivostok the following day and one to Nagasaki to receive any incoming communications.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-11-08

Creator(s)

McIntyre, Frank, 1865-1944

A listing of the naval strength of the American navy, listing the battleships, armored cruisers, cruisers, defense vessels, destroyers, torpedo boats, and submarines, and noting which are or are not currently available.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-10-30

Creator(s)

United States. Office of Naval Intelligence

Admiral George Dewey sends to Secretary Charles J. Bonaparte a report of United States Navy resources and recommendations from the General Board for the coming year. Dewey feels that, for the foreseeable future, the Navy must continue laying down two battleships per year, and he provides comparisons of the ships both in use and under construction of the principal powers: England, France, Germany, and Japan. In conclusion, he outlines the desired tactical qualities of each type of ship discussed in the report, which includes battleships, scouts, motor ship’s torpedo boats, Helena-type gunboats, small Philippines gunboats, shallow draft river gunboats, and ammunition vessels.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-10-02

Creator(s)

Dewey, George, 1837-1917

Lists numbers of ships and marines already in Cuban waters, en route to Cuba, or preparing to depart for Cuba.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-09-30

Creator(s)

Unknown

Henry White received President Roosevelt’s letter but has waited until reaching Rome to answer it. White’s views on disarmament were sent in a confidential letter through the British Embassy’s dispatch bag. He has omitted any reference to Roosevelt’s observations about the German emperor although he has borrowed some of Roosevelt’s phraseology. White writes that Roosevelt’s action in Cuba was met with “universal admiration.” White saw the Chilean minister yesterday who said that Elihu Root’s visit there brought great comfort and was epoch making. Other topics in the letter include the German and Jesuit influence in the Vatican and the reputation of the emperor as an influencer, and White’s visit with the King of Italy and their discussion of new literacy-based immigration laws.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-09-20

Creator(s)

White, Henry, 1850-1927

Acting Secretary of the Navy Newberry received correspondence from Commander William F. Fullam in Cienfuegos. The warship Dixie has sailed for Monte Cristi, with the Cleveland ready to replace it. British subjects are asking for American help with lawless bands breaking the armistice agreement.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-09-21

Creator(s)

Newberry, Truman Handy, 1864-1945