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President Roosevelt congratulates Captain Gottfried Blocklinger, the officers, and the crew of the battleship USS Illinois for winning the excellence in gunnery trophy.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-08-28
President Roosevelt writes to his son Kermit about his distress over the government in Cuba. He then describes his trip aboard the Mayflower to see Admiral Evans’s fleet at Barnstable with cousin William Emlen Roosevelt, C. Grant La Farge, and Archie. They watched a gunnery exercise on the battleship Missouri (BB-11). Roosevelt ends the letter with updates on Ted and Quentin.
1906-09-30
After the “ridiculous attack” on Admiral O’Neil, Theodore Roosevelt fondly recalls working with him. Roosevelt describes O’Neil as an “absolutely efficient and loyal” officer. Roosevelt looked into the government tests of the Gathmann Gun. He wonders if this was the same gun that Congress invested money that failed spectacularly during its testing phase.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1915-01-07
President Roosevelt directs Secretary of the Navy Newberry to attach to Admiral William Sowden Sims’s officer record a statement of all “the essential facts concerning the value of his services.” Roosevelt believes that Sims has done more than any other man for the improvements of the Navy’s efficiency in target practice, and wishes that his contributions to gunnery, ordnance, and construction be recorded.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1909-02-16
Assistant Secretary of the Navy Roosevelt discusses battleship design elements and naval gunnery options with Richard Henry Dana and makes comparisons to British ships.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1897-05-08
President Roosevelt received John E. McBeth’s letter from James Martin of the New York Tribune. He did not show it to Archibald B. Roosevelt as he feels excess attention is not good for “small boys.” However, Roosevelt thoroughly enjoyed it and sends his regards to McBeth’s son.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-09-14
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.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-08-20
President Roosevelt thanks Secretary of the Navy Bonaparte for the letter and amusing clippings he sent. He proposes Bonaparte send a personal message of congratulations to some recent participants in a marksmanship contest. Roosevelt does not consider it necessary for Bonaparte to attend a naval review–he would be glad for him to attend, but since Roosevelt himself will be able to be present, it is not needed.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-07-26
President Roosevelt tells Lieutenant-Commander Sims that “now and then I feel a little cast down and gloomy about things,” and that receiving letters likes Sims’s does him good. He commends Sims on the progress that has been made in naval accuracy, and says that he does not worry about potential foreign trouble so long as the Navy is well maintained. He was interested in Sims’s comparison of the work the United States Navy is doing with that done by Great Britain, and asks if Sims knows about similar work by Germany or Japan. Roosevelt would like to see an example of the naval target practice at an upcoming review of the fleet.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-07-07
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.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-12-20
President Roosevelt thanks Commander Sims for writing him about marksmanship, and is pleased with the improvement.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-04-14
President Roosevelt sends Secretary of the Navy Morton a paper by Lieutenant Commander Sims for his private information and wishes he would use it in relation to the armament of the USS New Hampshire.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-10-06
President Roosevelt discusses the armament of the USS New Hampshire BB-25 with Secretary of the Navy Morton and requests a full report “from the proper authorities.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-10-06
President Roosevelt explains to Admiral Smith his uncle Irvine Bulloch’s role firing the final shots with the 32-pounder in the naval battle between the Alabama and the Kearsarge, which took place in 1864.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-07-06
President Roosevelt would like a full report regarding the accident aboard the USS Missouri. Gunnery practice should resume immediately.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-05-10
President Roosevelt would like to know what has been done about improving cruiser marksmanship, especially the guns of six-inch caliber and less.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-04-21
The Army and Navy Journal appears alarmed over the accident with USS Iowa‘s guns and the February 8 order from the Bureau of Ordnance. President Roosevelt would like a full report.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-03-05
President Roosevelt wants Admiral Taylor to secure the best type of gun sight.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1903-10-02
President Roosevelt is pleased to hear the good news about the new systems on the ships Chicago and Panther and that with big guns the Navy is equal to the English. Roosevelt asks how they would compare to the Germans.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1903-09-15
President Roosevelt congratulates Admiral Higginson on his excellent record while serving as commander of the North Atlantic Fleet, particularly the fleet’s improvement in marksmanship.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1903-07-08