Your TR Source
President Roosevelt tells Secretary of War Taft of a recent report comparing army and navy fire control. He is concerned by the army’s “backwardness,” as evidenced by the report. Until recently, the navy showed a similar deficiency but has since improved, as can the army. Roosevelt requests Taft take up the issue.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-08-21
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
President Roosevelt sends Secretary of the Navy Newberry an enclosed letter from Commander William Sowden Sims that commends Arthur Wallace Dunn’s account of the Navy’s target practice. Roosevelt would like this letter kept for reference in case Dunn wishes to observe the target practice again, as he was particularly good at giving an accurate description of it.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1909-02-11
President Roosevelt recounts for Viscount Lee how pleasant it was to sit for his portrait by Fülöp László. László allowed him to have guests to speak to while he sat, and Anna Cabot Mills Davis Lodge was a common guest. Roosevelt thanks Lee for his work with William Lyon Mackenzie King, and notes that although the issue of Japanese immigration is not acute yet, it could be soon. He also discusses the success of the Great White Fleet’s tour and target practice.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-04-08
President Roosevelt thanks German Emperor William II for his work in fostering friendship between Germany and the United States. He regrets that the situation regarding his nomination of David Jayne Hill as the new Ambassador to Germany was made public, and explains that if he had been told privately that the Emperor wanted a different man, he would have nominated someone else. Roosevelt also provides an update on the progress of the American fleet’s tour of South America, and says that its target practice off the Mexican coast went well.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-04-04
President Roosevelt thanks Commander Sims for the letter he sent him, and says that as far as target practice goes, everything seems gratifying.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-02-18
President Roosevelt is glad that Stewart Edward White enjoyed the target practice. Roosevelt says that criticism about the United States Navy are criticisms that could be made about any navy, and which need to be worked out under limitations imposed by Congress.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-02-10
President Roosevelt is very interested in the reports of cruiser target practice that Commander Sims sent him, and is pleased at the performance of the ships.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-02-07
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.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-08-21
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 tells Senator Knox he hopes there will be ample opportunity for the artillery to practice shooting targets with their big guns, as a firearm is useless “unless the men who handle it can hit with it.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-01-31
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 is on his way to target practice at Gardners Bay and will not return until Thursday.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1902-08-04
President-Elect Taft has read William Loeb’s letter regarding the North Atlantic fleet’s target practice with interest.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1909-01-11
Commander Sims of the United States Navy notifies President Roosevelt that he is sending him a memorandum comparing the accuracy of firing tests between 1907 and 1908. There have been improvements across the board, even though conditions are more severe.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-02-17
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.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-12-09
Commander Sims writes to President Roosevelt with the results of the long-range firing tests completed by the Atlantic Fleet. After his updates over the years on their great progress in gunnery training, Sims now reports that the battle firing system has proven to be satisfactory. He describes the tests conducted, the control system, and the outcomes for each ship. The fire-control officers, although rattled by stress at first, performed very well by the end.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-10-08
Commander Sims sends William Loeb reports of recent battle target practice that he thinks President Roosevelt will find of interest.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-10-08
Frank Edgar Evans sends a report to Lieutenant Commander Fahs giving the results of a test of the “Corrector System,” which took place on the Marine Corps Rifle Range at Camp Admiral Harrington in November. Gunnery Sergeant Clark was thorough in his testing and determined that the corrector system eliminates eyestrain.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-12-06
Lieutenant Commander Sims reports the success of the United States Navy’s tests in long-range gunnery in Cape Cod Bay.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-10-14