United States. Navy

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Charles W. Fairbanks

President Roosevelt provides Vice President Fairbanks with details explaining why it is urgent that Congress act quickly to appropriate funding for coastal defenses of several areas in and around the Pacific. Roosevelt explains both the current situation of defenses in Manila Bay, Pearl Harbor, and the Pacific Coast of the United States, as well as the plans that are currently in place to improve these defenses. He asks Fairbanks to try to expedite the process of providing funding for these purposes.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-02-21

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Stewart Edward White

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.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-02-10

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to William Swift

President Roosevelt asks William Swift, Commandant of the Boston Navy Yard, to look into a certain matter personally. Roosevelt would like a full letter that he can send to Jacob A. Riis, who raised the issue.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-01-12

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to William Sowden Sims

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.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-02-07

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Oliver Cicero Wiley

President Roosevelt tells Representative Wiley that James M. Haralson admitted to his language use and firmly states that he should not be readmitted into the Navy.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1909-01-15

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Lyman Abbott

President Roosevelt protests a recent editorial in The Outlook, and tells Lyman Abbott that it condoned mutinous and insubordinate conduct in the Navy by defending Admiral Willard H. Brownson. He quotes a letter he received from General Grenville M. Dodge on the topic of Brownson’s resignation. Dodge opines that Roosevelt should have insisted Brownson obey the order and if he refused to then court-martial him instead of just accepting his resignation. Roosevelt explains why he did not follow this course, but says that this may have set a precedent for rampant insubordination in the armed forces, which The Outlook has not helped.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-01-17

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Victor Howard Metcalf

President Roosevelt informs Secretary of the Navy Metcalf that the directive from his predecessor, Charles J. Bonaparte, classifying medical ships as floating hospitals and placed under the command of a medical officer, is correct and will be enacted. The Army operates their medical ships in this way, and Roosevelt sees no reason the Navy cannot operate in this manner just as well. He provides precedents in American navies as well as international navies for operating this way, and points out that in times of war the presence of a line officer on the ship may imply a violation of the ship’s neutrality.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-01-04

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to the editor of the New York Tribune

President Roosevelt writes to the New York Tribune editor regarding the article titled “Honorable Retirement” about former Chief of the Bureau of Navigation Willard H. Brownson. Roosevelt finds it inexcusable that they published a piece praising Brownson’s conduct when he has been completely discredited by his spiteful insubordination. It was not a matter of right and wrong, but a matter of his behavior, that is the problem, and he has been disloyal to the Navy and the Nation.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-12-26

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Willard H. Brownson

President Roosevelt has read the letter from Rear Admiral Willard H. Brownson regarding the hospital ship and sees that the case is outlined accurately by Brownson’s comparison to yachts. The yacht owners are usually not the ones who navigate the ships, yet they are the ones who receive requests and give orders.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-12-23

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Kermit Roosevelt

Archibald B. Roosevelt is recovering well from his surgery and is excited to return to Groton. President Roosevelt was touched by the fondness Archie showed Kermit Roosevelt before and after the surgery. Roosevelt also tells Kermit about a walk he had taken with several friends in which they lost French Ambassador J. J. Jusserand in the woods and an enjoyably informal dinner with several hunters.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-12-08

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Stewart Edward White

President Roosevelt thanks Stewart Edward White for sending him two books. Roosevelt is particularly excited to read White’s novel Arizona Nights, and compares White’s writing favorably to the author William J. Long, who was embroiled in the “Nature Fakers” controversy. Roosevelt has also requested that White be given permission to watch target practice by the USS Maryland.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-11-18

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Andrew Carnegie

President Roosevelt stands by his decision to expand the Navy despite earlier statements that he would not do so. Roosevelt tells Andrew Carnegie that while confidentiality prohibits him from revealing all of the reasons for his decision, rising global tensions and the failure of the Second International Peace Conference at The Hague to establish a way to enforce disarmament provide ample reason for him to want to improve the United States’ own Navy.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-11-19

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Robert Means Thompson

President Roosevelt informs Colonel Thompson that he does not need to see the November number of The Navy to express his opinion that the publication has done more harm than good. While they need criticism, it is worthless if it is malicious, untruthful, or foolish, thereby damaging the Navy’s public reputation. Roosevelt wants Thompson’s views of the Channel Fleet. Regarding Japan, the United States’ assurance of friendship is all that is needed.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-11-08

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Knute Nelson

President Roosevelt asks Senator Nelson how to get a good Lutheran minister for the Navy.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-10-27

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to William Sowden Sims

President Roosevelt asks Admiral Sims to look over some documents so that they can discuss them when Roosevelt returns to Washington.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-10-13

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Victor Howard Metcalf

President Roosevelt informs Secretary of the Navy Metcalf that he approves of his course of action to acquire coal from foreign ships following regulations set in 1904.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-10-23

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to William Sowden Sims

President Roosevelt was eagerly anticipating Commander Sims’s report and is very pleased. Roosevelt inquires about Sims’s thoughts on the effectiveness of the eight-inch guns tested, and says he will make a strong bid for big-gun battleships in his coming address. Roosevelt also asks if there are any additional points he should try to cover in his message.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-10-23

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Albert L. Key

President Roosevelt tells Lieutenant Commander Key that he does not need to thank him for his upcoming promotion because Key is worthy of it. Roosevelt believes that the Navy retirement bill worked well. He encourages Key regarding a visit to the Tennessee mountains.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-07-05

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Herbert Livingston Satterlee

President Roosevelt sends an editorial from The Evening Post to Assistant Secretary of the Navy Satterlee, saying it shows the damage done by articles appearing in Our Navy. Roosevelt says Our Navy features foolish exaggerations that allow other publications to attack the American Navy.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-07-06

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Henry Cabot Lodge

President Roosevelt tells Senator Lodge that the inspectors should not be excepted from the new naturalization law. Roosevelt responds to Lodge’s question about the naval fleet traveling to the Pacific, explaining that for proper readiness, the fleet must make that exercise during a time of peace.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-07-10