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President Roosevelt approves of Admiral George Collier Remey’s memorandum and desires that steps be taken for the procurement of Subic Bay.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1901-11-09
Brigadier General Wotherspoon reports to Army Chief of Staff Bell concerning the proposition of constructing a naval base at Subic Bay in the Philippines. While Wotherspoon concedes the point that this location is very easily defended from the sea, there are many problems related to its defense from the land, which he outlines. Wotherspoon believes a base at this position would not be able to be defended long enough for reinforcements from the United States to arrive, and so recommends the construction of a base at Manila Bay or Corregidor instead.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-07-02
In a memorandum requested by President Roosevelt, Secretary of War Taft outlines the reasons for the reversal of the Joint Board of the Army and Navy’s 1903 unanimous decision to construct a defensive naval base at Subic Bay in the Philippines. The decision was reversed in 1907 due in part to the emerging strength of Japan and the cooling of relations with Japan, and to the indefensibility of the area by land.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-04-14
Army Chief of Staff James Bell Franklin requests a report regarding the construction of a naval base in the Philippines. Bell highlights several issues that should be given consideration and explained when examining the differences between Subig Bay and Manila Bay, especially highlighting several statements made in a report by the Board of Officers that should be replied to directly. This prior report, Franklin says, considered the sites for naval defense only, did not give proper consideration to inland defenses, and suggested that the entrance to Manila Bay could not be held.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-03-05
Admiral Dewey, reporting as senior member of the Joint Board, sends Secretary of the Navy Metcalf a report detailing the development of thinking regarding a proposed naval base at Subig bay in the Philippines. While this site was initially considered ideal from a purely naval perspective, this conclusion was later revised, due to increased input from army officers regarding the possibility of defending the site from landward invasions, as well as events during the Russo-Japanese War highlighting new factors that had to be taken into consideration. These developments resulted in the recent recommendation of Manila Bay as the more suitable site for a naval base.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-03-05
The Senate Committee on Naval Affairs interviews a number of naval officers on some alleged defects in the construction of several battleships now being built. Chief among these concerns are the questions of the placement of the armor belt, the positions of the guns, and the design of the hoists to provide the turrets with ammunition.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-03-21
This report records a series of documents, primarily from Admiral W. L. Capps, Constructor of the Navy, answering recent criticisms about some naval vessels in the United States Navy. These criticisms centered on the height of the freeboard of the ships, their water-line armor distribution, and the ammunition hoists used, among other topics. The report contains a statement by Capps, a report of a relevant discussion by the British Royal Navy, a number of diagrams detailing armor distribution, and a record of hearings conducted by the House Committee on Naval Affairs. Capps refutes the criticism by correcting several misunderstandings about terminology, explaining the rationale behind some shipbuilding decisions, and mentioning that several issues have already been corrected in newer ships.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-02-19