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Major General Elliott has been informed that General Wood said that President Roosevelt had asked Wood to use his influence to have the Marines “turned over to the Army.” Elliott does not believe that Roosevelt would ask for this transfer without first telling either Elliott, or the Secretary of the Navy.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-11-24
Secretary of the Navy Metcalf submits his resignation.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-11-13
William Sowden Sims sends President Roosevelt a copy of a letter from Albert L. Key criticizing the plans of the North Dakota class of battleship. Sims has read the letter and agrees with many of the criticisms, and summarizes the various points that Key makes in his criticism. The Board of Construction seems to stand in opposition to the General Board and majority of officers in the Navy, who Sims says support many of the criticisms. Sims criticizes the actions of Admiral George Albert Converse, who supports the Board of Construction in the face of much of the Navy, and suggests that Converse is impeding progress in his current position. He also criticizes Chief Constructor W. L. Capps’s inability to admit that he may be mistaken with regard to the current design.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-06-23
Pursuant to a previous direction given by President Roosevelt to evaluate Subic Bay as a site for a naval base, Secretary of the Navy Metcalf forwards Roosevelt a letter sent to the Naval Department by a member of the Joint Board discussing this question.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-03-06
Secretary of the Navy Metcalf forwards President Roosevelt a report from Admiral George Dewey and the Joint Army and Navy Board regarding the defenses of the naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-03-05
U.S. Navy Surgeon General Rixey writes to President Roosevelt to remind him of the promise Roosevelt made to call both Rixey and Admiral Willard H. Brownson for a meeting on the topic of the hosital ship Relief. Rixey encloses the letter he sent to Secretary of the Navy Victor Howard Metcalf about placing doctor Charles F. Stokes in command of the vessel.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-12-19
U.S. Navy Surgeon General Rixey writes to Secretary of the Navy Metcalf following up on their earlier conversation about the command of the Relief. A medical officer has always commanded the Relief when acting as a hospital ship. It would be inadvisable to place the ranking medical officer in anything but a position of command, as he would likely be offended.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-12-19
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
Representative Williams asks President Roosevelt to act on behalf of Wiliams’ constituent Carl H. Shaifer who is officially part of the Government Printing Office but has been primarily doing work for the Department of the Navy. Williams fears that Shaifer’s membership with the Democratic Party and support of Roosevelt’s political enemies puts his future as a government employee in danger, particularly as his superiors in the Printing Office are not personally familiar with him.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-11-22
Assistant Secretary of the Navy Newberry discusses the topic of upcoming legislation streamlining the process of promotion within the Navy. Newberry agrees with assessments made by experts and by President Roosevelt himself that the current system is “politically impractical,” and reiterates that the Department of the Navy and nearly all fighting officers support the bill.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-11-20
Attorney General Bonaparte provides legal counsel for Secretary of Commerce and Labor Straus regarding the British steamer Ferndene, which transported coal for the Navy from the East Coast to the West Coast. Bonaparte informs Straus that, so long as the ship carried nothing else but the coal, she does not have to pay the associated tonnage tax and Straus’s other questions are moot.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-10-09
Attorney General Bonaparte provides legal advice for Secretary of the Navy Metcalf regarding the transportation of coal for the Navy from Atlantic to Pacific ports. Bonaparte finds that the prohibitions Metcalf mentioned do not apply to property owned by the government, and that coal for the Navy can be transported on foreign vessels if sufficient American vessels cannot be contracted or if they can only be had for an exorbitant price.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-10-03
Secretary of the Navy Metcalf informs President Roosevelt that the torpedo boat destroyers recently ordered by the Navy are not as fast as some foreign vessels, but that speed was sacrificed for other qualities deemed more important. The Board on Construction emphasized the importance of seaworthiness, sea endurance, coal efficiency, and ability to maintain speed. Metcalf warns that the high trial-trip speeds reported by other vessels are usually achieved at the expense of other vital qualities.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-09-26
Acting Secretary of the Navy Newberry informs President Roosevelt that the railroads have agreed to the Navy’s wishes regarding government colliers, and he describes the positions of the colliers. The waiver of precedence for Panama colliers could once again agitate the commercial interests, but Newberry does not foresee long term effects if the railroads and coal suppliers can agree. He recommends the transfer of a few cargoes already en route.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-09-01
Senator Lodge sends President Roosevelt a newspaper copy of his speech to send to Secretary of War William H. Taft and commends Roosevelt for his speech. He also sends a letter he wrote to a friend, concerning recent stock market fluctuations, on which he wants Roosevelt’s opinion. Lodge hopes Roosevelt will look into the matter of the submarine boats.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-08-21
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
Admiral Merrell informs Secretary of the Navy Metcalf that President Roosevelt has misunderstood several points recently made by the General Board, and attempts to clarify its statements.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-08-15
Senator Hale asks Acting Secretary of the Navy Newberry if there is any truth to reports that some ships are being extensively repaired in preparation for a mission to the Pacific Ocean, since existing appropriations cannot support such expenses. Hale is opposed to sending the fleet to the Pacific as a matter of policy, but specifically opposes such a move on the ground of the law against spending more than has been appropriated.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-07-27
Lyman Abbott worries that his comments were misunderstood, and he did not mean to offend anyone. Abbott explains additional funding is required for the United States Military Academy and the United States Naval Academy chaplains, in order to occasionally have outside preachers. He states that outside preachers are common practice for other college congregations.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-06-21
William Sowden Sims sends President Roosevelt his report on the advantages of big gun battleships of large displacement.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-01-10