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President Roosevelt sends Lawrence F. Abbott several letters and telegrams about the Standard Oil Company case that are for his information only. He also answers Abbott’s questions about the Great White Fleet, emphasizing that the fleet must always stay together as a unit whether in Atlantic or Pacific waters.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-09-13
President Roosevelt asks Acting Secretary of the Navy Newberry to refer to the telegram regarding coal sent by Acting Secretary of War Robert Shaw Oliver and to report back on how much of a delay would be caused by loading coal for Panama.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-08-31
Senator Bourne is at liberty to discuss the Great White Fleet. President Roosevelt is too busy to deal with the subject of arbitration.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-08-21
President Roosevelt instructs Acting Secretary of the Navy Newberry to ensure there is enough coal for the Great White Fleet’s trip, and says the Bureau of Equipment is “on trial in this matter.” He likes the idea of “having one first-class man. . .represent all the newspapers.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-08-17
President Roosevelt is proud to hear Arthur William Merrifield is excelling in his position as United States marshal. Merrifield does not need to worry about the money until he is ready to pay it. Roosevelt agrees with Merrifield regarding Japan.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-08-13
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.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-08-10
President Roosevelt sends Secretary of State Root several enclosures regarding escalating tensions with Japan. Roosevelt says Senator Eugene Hale, who has opposed repairs to the American fleet, will not be allowed to dictate the movements of the fleet, and Roosevelt believes it is useless to communicate with him. In a postscript, Roosevelt proposes a suit against officials in San Francisco who refuse to grant business licenses to Japanese immigrants, and says that though he does not expect war with Japan, he does not believe the United States could hold Manila if war did break out. Roosevelt laments the “yellow press” in Japan is just as bad as in America.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-07-31
President Roosevelt returns two reports to Acting Secretary of the Navy Newberry and approves of Newberry’s actions in the improvement of training future officers in the military and naval academies. In a postscript, Roosevelt notes that Maine Senator Eugene Hale is adding to the tensions between the United States and Japan by his actions, and asks Newberry for his alternate plans for the fleet as soon as possible.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-07-30
Lawrence F. Abbott thanks President Roosevelt for his letter and the copies of correspondence between Roosevelt and Secretary of the Treasury George B. Cortelyou about campaign contributions. Abbott believes that he now understands the Great White Fleet enough to make a statement about it and asks Roosevelt what is proper to say about the Standard Oil Company.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-09-16
Admiral Brownson, chief of the Bureau of Navigation, sends President Roosevelt a letter from Admiral Robley D. Evans with information about the Great White Fleet. Brownson comments on Evans’s points about fleet movements, maneuvers, and supplies. He feels it best to have just one journalist accompany the fleet.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-08-19
Willard H. Brownson, Chief of the Bureau of Navigation, forwards a letter from the Navy General Board to President Roosevelt concerning the Great White Fleet.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-08-19
Acting Secretary of the Navy Newberry sends information about a number of battleships to President Roosevelt.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-01-21
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
William Loeb requests that all communications related to naval maneuvers and landings at the Isthmus of Panama be forwarded to President Roosevelt. Roosevelt wants them for the purpose of preventing interruption of free transit under the treaty of 1846.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1903-12-23
President Roosevelt has heard that Admiral Francis John Higginson stopped the naval maneuvers to allow Consuelo, Duchess of Marlborough, to visit the flagship. If true, Roosevelt desires a report.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1902-09-01
George B. Cortelyou informs Rear Admiral Evans that President Roosevelt has several suggestions to add to Evans’s statement on naval maintenance and maneuvers.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1902-02-10
President Roosevelt asks Ambassador Tower to thank German Emperor William II for the message. Roosevelt was already aware of the presence of Japanese in Mexico, and comments that many Japanese do not remain in Mexico, but attempt to enter the United States. Roosevelt comments about Japanese seeking to enter the United States from Canada as well, and suggests that the reason that many of these immigrants are soldiers is not due to plans by the Japanese emperor, but because they have trouble readjusting to life in Japan after having served in Manchuria. Roosevelt is pleased by William II’s approval of what he did with the fleet in the Pacific.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-02-12
President Roosevelt was eagerly anticipating Commander Sims’s report and is very pleased. Roosevelt inquires about Sims’s thoughts on the effectiveness of the eight-inch guns tested, and says he will make a strong bid for big-gun battleships in his coming address. Roosevelt also asks if there are any additional points he should try to cover in his message.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-10-23
President Roosevelt is glad that Secretary of the Navy Morton went to see the naval maneuvers. Roosevelt urges Morton to take ten days off, and informs him that he has heard that the naval officers have appreciated Morton as Secretary.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-09-12
President Roosevelt asks Acting Chief of the Bureau of Navigation Pillsbury to consider what the U.S. Navy should do if the Asiatic squadron needs to “bottle up” the Vladivostok squadron. Roosevelt does not expect trouble from Russia but wants to be prepared for an emergency.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-07-29