Our Collection

At the Institute’s core is the Gilder Lehrman Collection, one of the great archives in American history. More than 85,000 items cover five hundred years of American history, from Columbus’s 1493 letter describing the New World through the end of the twentieth century.

Welles, Gideon (1802-1878) to James Wilson Grimes

High-resolution images are available to schools and libraries via subscription to American History, 1493-1943. Check to see if your school or library already has a subscription. Or click here for more information. You may also order a pdf of the image from us here.

Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC05997 Author/Creator: Welles, Gideon (1802-1878) Place Written: Washington, D.C. Type: Letter signed Date: 7 March 1866 Pagination: 2 p. : docket ; 33.3 x 21.3 cm. Order a Copy

Written in secretarial hand and signed by Secretary of the Navy Welles to Grimes, U.S. Senator from Iowa who chaired the Committee on Naval Affairs. Wants to "invite your attention" to the estimate submitted last November to provide for the deficiency in the appropriation for the re-establishment of the Naval Academy at Annapolis and its support for the fiscal year starting 30 June 1866. Says it appears to have been overlooked. Says the money is needed badly because it has already been expended or obligations incurred to spend it. Also wants 20,000 dollars to erect a building at the academy for the department of steam engineering. Says the department is newly introduced and highly important. Says no exact estimates on the building can be given, but that it will not be over 20,000 dollars. Claims only as much as is needed will be used.

Citation Guidelines for Online Resources