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President Roosevelt hopes for two battleships this year. He tells Representative Foss, Chairman of the Committee on Naval Affairs, that he is looking to them to help the Navy. In a postscript, Roosevelt notes the enclosure showing that the Unites States is far behind what foreign nations are doing.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-01-23
President Roosevelt argues for the construction of two first-class battleships, describing the ways in which they are economically and tactically superior to other types of Navy vessels.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-01-11
Commodore Key expresses to President Roosevelt about Senator Eugene Hale’s opposition to the naval personnel bill. Key feels sure that if the House of Representatives passes it, Hale will almost be forced to support the bill because he has never opposed a bill with wide popular support. However, Key fears that Representative George Edmund Foss, Chairman of the House Committee on Naval Affairs, will table the bill until the next session to appease Hale. Hale’s resolution has resulted in little attention even from the Senate Naval Committee of which he is the chairman. Lastly, Key encloses a memorandum that has made its rounds among Navy circles and asks for advice on how to help encourage passage of the bill.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-01-27
George Edmund Foss explains to President Roosevelt the reasons that some people oppose growing the Navy as well as why Foss himself supports it.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-01-14
Representative George Foss tells President Roosevelt about hearings the Committee on Naval Affairs has held about the building up of the United States Navy.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-01-12
President Roosevelt assures Admiral Mahan that he has already warned President-Elect William H. Taft against dividing the fleet. Roosevelt has shown Taft his letter to Representative George Edmund Foss, chairman of the House Committee on Naval Affairs. Roosevelt is confident that the fleet will never be divided.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1909-03-03
President Roosevelt urgently asks Senator Hale to meet the following morning. For reasons Roosevelt cannot reveal by mail, the Navy is in desperate need of ammunition, which Foss’ House Committee on Naval Affairs must provide. Roosevelt believes five million dollars should be dedicated to ammunition as a start.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-02-08
President Roosevelt urgently asks Representative Foss to meet the following morning. For reasons Roosevelt cannot reveal by mail, the Navy is in desperate need of ammunition, which Foss’ House Committee on Naval Affairs must provide. Roosevelt believes five million dollars should be dedicated to ammunition as a start.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-02-08
President Roosevelt invites Representative Foss and the House Committee on Naval Affairs to attend an upcoming naval review.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-08-20
President Roosevelt sends Representative Foss and the House Committee on Naval Affairs a draft of a bill authorizing the reappointment of three midshipmen formerly dismissed for hazing. When they were previously court-martialed there was no flexibility in the prescribed punishment, but that has since changed. Roosevelt believes that justice would be better served by their punishment coming in the form of being demoted rather than outright dismissed.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-05-03
President Roosevelt tells George Edmund Foss, chairman of the Committee on Naval Affairs, that he hopes that there will not be a delay in the building up of the navy. Roosevelt has heard second-hand that a member of the committee said there would no new battleships this year, which he strongly disagrees with. In Roosevelt’s opinion, heavy cruisers are fine, but heavy battleships are what the navy needs.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-01-10
Assistant Secretary of the Navy Roosevelt thanks Representative Plowman for his letter and especially appreciates his sentiments as a member of the Naval Committee. He agrees with Plowman on increasing the number of Americans on the country’s ships. Roosevelt is trying to establish rendezvous for enlistments in several coastal areas where there are populations of sea-going Americans.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1897-09-29
Carter H. Fitz-Hugh thanks Theodore Roosevelt for the letter and article. He wishes Roosevelt could have been at the opening of the new naval station. J. M. Dickinson is interested in the work and lets the Southern congressmen on the Committee on Naval Affairs know its value.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-11-05
Representative Bates saw Theodore Roosevelt’s letter to Representative Nicholas Longworth asking for assistance in passing the bill for Robert E. Peary’s promotion. Bates sincerely appreciates Roosevelt’s support. He encloses the report from the Committee on Naval Affairs.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-01-23
Robert E. Peary informs Theodore Roosevelt that the Committee on Naval Affairs unanimously reported a bill promoting him to Rear Admiral on the retired list with the thanks of Congress. The bill will next be presented in the House of Representatives. He expects Representatives R. B. Macon and Ernest W. Roberts to fight the matter. Roosevelt could “render invaluable assistance” by asking his friends in Congress to vote for the bill.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-01-18
Assistant Secretary of the Navy Newberry reports to President Roosevelt regarding the findings of the Joint Board on Ammo Supply in a Time of War and its reports to Congress regarding the financial estimates for the upcoming year’s reserve supply of ammunition.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-02-12
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
William S. Cowles sends President Roosevelt a statement for his use. He comments on the upcoming tour that Secretary of the Navy William H. Moody is taking with members of Congress, including members of the Committee on Naval Affairs. He hopes Moody will not become seasick. Cowles comments that he is worried about his wife Anna, the President’s sister, who has been ill for some time. He also reports on the progress of renovations at the White House.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1902-08-07