Evans, Robley D. (Robley Dunglison), 1846-1912

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Charles J. Bonaparte

President Roosevelt thanks Secretary of the Navy Bonaparte for the letter, and asks him to write to Commander Edward M. Peters of the New Jersey Naval Militia to pass along Roosevelt’s commendation. Roosevelt comments on the pending construction of a battleship, and is exasperated at Representative Theodore E. Burton’s resistance to the expansion of the navy, believing that it is a danger to the country. He suggests, regarding an upcoming naval review, that the members of the congressional naval affairs committees be invited to attend. In a postscript, Roosevelt shares several issues he talked about with Admiral Robley D. Evans, including a change in where he will view some naval target practice.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-08-20

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to William Sowden Sims

President Roosevelt congratulates Lieutenant Commander Sims on the recent birth of his daughter, Margaret Hitchcock Sims. Roosevelt outlines his plans to visit the fleet at target practice somewhat later than his originally planned date.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-08-21

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Charles J. Bonaparte

President Roosevelt tells Secretary of the Navy Bonaparte that he believes any investigation into the recent marine accidents will come back in Admiral Robley D. Evans’s favor. It may be worth conducting the investigation anyway, however, in order to have an answer for Congress if it is requested.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-08-18

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Charles J. Bonaparte

President Roosevelt believes Secretary of the Navy Bonaparte should follow the letter from the Chief of the Bureau of Ordnance regarding the torpedo station matter, but thinks that if possible it would be good to delay taking action until after the election. Roosevelt is pleased that Bonaparte will be able to attend the upcoming naval review, and remarks on his plans surrounding it. He additionally addresses a matter regarding half-holidays and pay, and clarifies his intention regarding the matter. Roosevelt does not intend for the holidays to increase pay, but did not feel that it was right that “men who work with the head, from clerks to bank presidents, should have a holiday as a matter of course while the wage-worker does not have it.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-08-03

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Charles J. Bonaparte

President Roosevelt tells Secretary of the Navy Bonaparte that he thinks Rear Admiral George Albert Converse’s plan is all right. He agrees with Bonaparte that Admiral Robley D. Evans’s fleet is suffering too many collisions, and that Evans should understand that “the training should be such as to enable people to take risks, and yet the that the risks should not unnecessarily be taken.” Roosevelt asks Bonaparte to send him the official report about the actions of Edward M. Peters, Commander of the New Jersey Naval Militia, as he was impressed by the newspaper report he read.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-08-06

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Charles J. Bonaparte

President Roosevelt approves of the list of ships that will participate in an upcoming naval review, and asks Secretary of the Navy Bonaparte to find out from Admiral Robley D. Evans what time of day would be best for the review. Roosevelt hopes to have the captains of all the ships come on board the presidential yacht for lunch, which will either be before or after the review as Evans suggests. He also asks Bonaparte to speak with Admiral of the Navy George Dewey if he can be present on the Mayflower, and suggests that the naval attaches should attend also. In postscript, Roosevelt mentions an incident with Japanese seal poachers, and Navy should have “possible contingencies clearly in view” if there should be any trouble with Japan. Roosevelt also suggests inviting Cornelius Vanderbilt and Commodore and E. C. Benedict to lunch as well.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-08-10

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to the Society of the Cincinnati in the State of Virginia

President Roosevelt endorses Lieutenant Franck Taylor Evans for membership in the Society of the Cincinnati in the State of Virginia, writing that Evans “is to my mind as fine an example as we have in the Navy of what a Christian officer should be.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-04-21

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Charles J. Bonaparte

President Roosevelt would like Secretary of the Navy Bonaparte to call the attention of anyone who has “made a special study of gunnery” to the enclosed article. The article, from Russian sources, gives an account of the battle of the Sea of Japan which suggests that the main cause of Russian defeat was Japan’s superiority in secondary battery fire.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-12-20

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to James E. Sullivan

President Roosevelt is concerned that the advertisement that James E. Sullivan sent him offers “such large money prizes.” However, Roosevelt reminds Sullivan that enlisted navy men do not share the same physique as amateur collegiate athletes, and he does not want to decide what to do about them. He will ask Admiral Robley D. Evans for his thoughts on the matter.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-09-06

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Anna Roosevelt Cowles

President Roosevelt asks his sister, Anna Roosevelt Cowles, to tell her husband, Rear Admiral William F. Cowles, to tell Admiral Robley D. Evans that Roosevelt will explain in-person the reason for not letting the squadron come to New York.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-09-01

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Henry Cabot Lodge

President Roosevelt regrets to inform Senator Lodge that Rear Admiral C. H. Davis cannot be put in command of the battleship squadron above Rear Admiral Robley D. Evans, which is the conclusion to which Secretary of the Navy Paul Morton, Attorney General William H. Moody, and Admiral George Albert Converse have come. Instead, Davis will be put as second-in-command below Evans.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-11-16

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Charles A. Moore

President Roosevelt informs Charles A. Moore that Rear Admiral Robley D. Evans is to have the position so the president has had to turn down several others. However, Roosevelt expresses his gratitude for all Moore did during the campaign.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-11-17

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to William Sowden Sims

President Roosevelt asks Lieutenant Commander Sims what he thinks about battleships having twelve-inch guns and fourteen-pounders with nothing in between, as Rear Admiral Robley D. Evans suggests.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-10-05

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to John Davis Long

Assistant Secretary of the Navy Roosevelt updates Secretary of the Navy Long on his recent meeting with the Armor Board. President William McKinley and Judge William R. Day report that news from Spain is not satisfactory and while Roosevelt does not anticipate trouble, the Navy should be ready to act immediately.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1897-09-20

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Henry Cabot Lodge

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

Letter from John F. Cahill to Theodore Roosevelt

John F. Cahill is involved in the design and development of a new sea-faring vessel which would open up trade between the Mississippi River Valley and South America. The vessel would be able to withstand new water depths and would contribute largely to the region’s wealth. Cahill wonders if Theodore Roosevelt might support this project and publish some words about it so that others might donate to the cause.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-05-22

Creator(s)

Cahill, John F.

Letter from Victor Howard Metcalf to Theodore Roosevelt

Secretary of the Navy Metcalf writes President Roosevelt about several matters. First, he addresses reports about the water line of the armor belts on existing battleships and responds to suggestions that the belts should be raised. Citing reports by Admiral Robley D. Evans, who is sailing to the Pacific with the Atlantic Fleet, Metcalf does not recommend this. In fact, he believes lowered would be better. Metcalf also informs Roosevelt of plans to modify turret ammunition hoists. Finally, Metcalf says he does not support a plan to appoint a line officer Assistant Secretary of the Navy.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-04-07

Creator(s)

Metcalf, Victor Howard, 1853-1936

Letter from James J. Conway to Theodore Roosevelt

James J. Conway praises President Roosevelt and his accomplishments at length, recounting all the times he has seen the him speak or gotten close to him. He then details his extensive service as a steward on various ships and steamers and tells Roosevelt that he has been denied positions in the transport service due to his age. As an American citizen, Conway believes he should get priority for such positions over immigrants, and asks Roosevelt to take up the matter.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-04-08

Creator(s)

Conway, James J., 1850-

Letter from Albert L. Key to Theodore Roosevelt

Albert L. Key argues that President Roosevelt has been more successful in placing younger officers in higher positions in the Army than he believes, and thinks that he could have the same success in the Navy. Key argues that many of the problems in the Navy right now, both practically and administratively, could be solved by placing younger and more efficient officers in higher-graded positions and promoting based on merit, rather than age. Key also briefly comments on the controversy concerning the placement of armor belts on battleships, disagreeing with Admiral Robley D. Evans’s position that it would be a mistake to raise the armor belts of ships.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-04-14

Creator(s)

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

Letter from Victor Howard Metcalf to Eugene Hale

Secretary of the Navy Metcalf informs Senator Hale of the Committee on Naval Affairs about the circumstances leading to the approval of the plans for the battleships Delaware and North Dakota. Metcalf explains that the designs received consideration from many different sources, including the board on construction, the special board on designs, and the Chief of the Bureau of Navigation. Metcalf was subsequently notified that there was some concern regarding the armor belt on these ships, but consulted with several sources and determined that the armor plating on the ships as designed seemed to be sufficient. He also invites Hale to examine some plans for a new type of ship that is to be used for scouting purposes.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-03-09

Creator(s)

Metcalf, Victor Howard, 1853-1936