Your TR Source
President Roosevelt sends Senator Lodge a letter from Secretary of the Navy Victor H. Metcalf regarding battleships and congressional action. As the letter indicates, the present bill in Congress does not provide for an increase of the Navy and does not allow for two battleships and ten torpedo boats to be constructed due to a lack of appropriation.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-04-22
President Roosevelt informs Senator Lodge about past appropriations bills relating to construction of battleships for the Navy. Roosevelt argues that the current bill providing for two battleships and ten torpedo destroyers is a “sham and pretends to do what it does not really do,” as it does not appropriate proper funds to expand armaments and armor. If Congress wants to expand the Navy it should provide the funds to do so, and if it does not wish to provide the funds, then there is no point in the pretense of allowing the construction of more battleships.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-04-22
This document lists the vessels under construction in the United States Navy and the percentage of completion as of December 10, 1907.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-12-10
After consulting with Secretary of State Elihu Root and Rear Admiral George Albert Converse, Secretary of the Navy Bonaparte has ordered four or five torpedo boat destroyers to Canton. Bonaparte has also directed the Raleigh to Shanghai and for a vessel to “look in” at Chefoo.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-11-15
This note summarizes a telegram received from Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs Komura relating the results of the Battle of Tsushima. Many Russian ships were sunk, while all the Japanese battleships and cruisers are still in action. The note also directs Japanese Ambassador Takahira to inform President Roosevelt of the report, but to keep the information secret until the publication of the official report.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-05-29
Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs Takahira wants to convey to President Roosevelt that the Russian battleship Knyaz Suvorov (also spelled Kniaz Souvoroff) went down. Takahira mentions that four additional Russian battleships have gone down. According to Takahira, the Japanese fleet seized a torpedo-boat destroyer, where they found the wounded Russian Vice Admiral Rozhestvensky (also spelled Rojestoeusky). Takahira urges others to keep this information quiet until publication.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-05-30
President Theodore Roosevelt gives his account of the voyage of the Great White Fleet in an excerpt from his autobiography. Roosevelt demonstrates that he was clearly in command of the operation as he writes that he made the choice of what nations to visit, and that he made the decision to send torpedo boats on the trip despite the reservation of naval commanders. Roosevelt emphasizes the reception given the fleet in Japan and Australia, and he notes that the fleet’s voyage, while meant to impress Japan and other nations, was primarily aimed at public opinion in the United States. The excerpt includes letters to and from commanders in the fleet, and it reprints Roosevelt’s address to one of the crews upon the fleet’s return to the United States.
The excerpt includes a photograph of the cover of Theodore Roosevelt: An Autobiography, a photograph of Roosevelt onboard one of the battleships, and the logo of the Theodore Roosevelt Association.
Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal
1913