Cruisers (Warships)

Colorized stereograph showing the port side of the USS Pennsylvania. The battleship is decorated with flags and is painted white. Several soldiers in blue uniforms can be seen on the deck and in rowboats in the water. Another ship is in the background. Text on the reverse of the stereograph details various features of the Pennsylvania, including the speed, displacement, and guns on board. The text also discusses the newly formed Pacific Fleet, of which the Pennsylvania is a part.

Comments and Context

As printed on the reverse of the stereograph, “America’s fastest cruiser, the Pennsylvania, has the reputation of being the grey-hound of the American fleet and has made the phenomenal speed of 23 knots, equal to about 27 miles an hour on land. This is the speed of an ordinary train. It has a displacement of 13, 680 tons and carries 18 guns.

On December 19th, 1907, the United States has had massed on the Pacific Coast a magnificent fleet of this type of cruiser, twelve in number, in three divisions, commanded by Rear-Admiral Dayton, Rear-Admiral Swyburn and Rear-Admiral Sebree. This fleet, together with the battleships Nebraska and Wisconsin, and a torpedo flotilla, are at the date mentioned above waiting for the great battleship fleet on its way to join them in the Pacific.”

Postcard showing the bow of the USS Albany in the water. Several sailors can be seen standing on the deck of the ship. Text on the front of the postcard records the ship is 292 feet long, with 310 officers and men on board and 10 guns in the main battery. On the reverse of the postcard is a handwritten account of the procession of 27 ships.

Collection

Duane G. Jundt Theodore Roosevelt Collection

Creation Date

1907-1909

Assistant Secretary of the Navy Roosevelt apprises President McKinley of what ships are available to send to Hawaii, given Japan’s dispatch of their protected cruiser, Naniwa. He discusses each ship’s strengths, weaknesses, and firepower.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1897-04-22

On one of many visits to Panama, President Taft inspects canal construction and visits ruins in the jungle.

Collection

Library of Congress Motion Picture, Broadcasting and Recorded Sound

Creation Date

1910

Admiral Dewey returns to New York City on September 27, 1899, following his victory at Manila Bay in the Spanish-American War. He paces the deck of his flagship, the Olympia, anchored at Tompkinsville, Staten Island. Dewey and three of his officers await the arrival of visitors. A group of dignitaries, including several naval officers, board. The first person to step on deck may be Rear Admiral William Thomas Sampson, Commander of the North Atlantic Squadron. Dewey greets the visitors. These visitors may be members of the Washington or New York City reception committee.

Collection

Library of Congress Motion Picture, Broadcasting and Recorded Sound

Creation Date

1899-09-27

Admiral Dewey returns to New York City on September 27, 1899, following his victory at Manilla Bay in the Spanish-American War. He paces the deck of his flagship, the Olympia, anchored at Tompkinsville, Staten Island. Dewey and three of his officers await the arrival of visitors. A group of dignitaries, including several naval officers, board. The first person to step on deck may be Rear Admiral William Thomas Sampson, Commander of the North Atlantic Squadron. Dewey greets the visitors. These visitors may be members of the Washington or New York City reception committee. The film is out of sequence, and other individuals also appear on deck. The camera angle and distance make positive identification of visitors impossible.

Collection

Library of Congress Motion Picture, Broadcasting and Recorded Sound

Creation Date

1899-09-27

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

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

As the flames of battle were extinguished, and news filtered across the globe, the decimation of many Russian warships — a large percentage of the Czar’s fleet — by Japan, surprised observers. Even King Neptune, the mythical god of naval conflict and control, had to pay tribute in the eyes of cartoonist Joseph Keppler.

Russia had rejected Japanese suggestions of dividing hegemonic spheres of influence with Russia over Manchuria and Korea. It was a bad deal in Russian eyes; and the Czar’s rejection was rude, as Tokyo saw it. The Russian fleet was in its port (otherwise a Chinese city, indicating the gaggle of territorial claims in that part of the world) of Port Arthur. The Japanese victory was virtually one-sided.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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