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President Roosevelt believes Lieutenant Sims is too pessimistic about the quality of American naval vessels. However, he prefers that Sims believe the United States Navy to be not good enough rather than too good. Roosevelt thanks Sims for the useful suggestions for improvement.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1901-12-27
Commander Key is glad that President Roosevelt understands the issues with the Navy administration system and suggests that the future ships to be approved by the coming Congress will be an improvement. Key congratulates Roosevelt on the conference at Newport, which confirmed all his criticisms of the North Dakota and the Delaware except one, which he expands upon. After first-hand experience with the Navy Department, Key suggests the creation of a legal addition to oversee the fleet. He is pleased to hear that Roosevelt plans to create an investigative commission that will be reviewing the current Naval organizational structure.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-09-18
Commissioner Roosevelt was interested in the volumes sent by Captain Cowles, a life of Admiral James and Brassey’s Naval Annual. He disagrees with T. A. Brassey over classing American battleships as inferior to British ships. Due to their armor piercing ability, Roosevelt favors using 8-inch guns over 6-inch quick-fires. He would also like to see more protection for the small quick-fires.
1896-06-20
Secretary of the Navy Long defends the naval appropriations.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1902-01-28
The recommendation that every armored vessel currently under construction or built in the future be outfitted with at least one submerged torpedo tube is under review. The Board of Construction is investigating the addition of torpedo tubes to the ships currently being built. The Naval Gun Factory has been directed to manufacture twenty tubes. A report will soon be available outlining what can be done, the cost, and a timeline for completion.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-01-06
Senator Hale hopes that the newspaper report that President Roosevelt questioned why the United States should build such large warships is accurate. Hale believes that it is better to build three slightly smaller ships than two big ones, as it would be cheaper and more effective, but says that the naval officers want the largest and finest ships just like New England farmers want to raise the biggest pigs and pumpkins. He will argue his point in the Senate this winter, and hopes Roosevelt will help.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1902-10-28
Summary of reports from Lieutenant William Sowden Sims regarding the defects of the USS Kentucky when compared to the designs and target practice results of Royal Navy vessels.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1901-12-17