Naval Tactics and Engineering Notebook, 1914-1915 (approximate): Finding Aid

Biography of Unknown Author

Evidence from the notebook suggest that the unknown author may have been a junior officer stationed aboard U.S.S. California in approximately 1914 to 1915. The first page of the notebook bears a signature that resembles, but cannot be verified as, that of Marc A. Mitscher, who was stationed aboard the California at the time.

Description of Contents

The Naval Tactics and Engineering Notebook, comprising 0.04 linear feet of documentation, was presumably kept between 1914 and 1915. The volume consists of ten tactical problems set in the Pacific, as well as notes on ships' engines, mechanical systems, and electrical engineering.

The Naval Tactics and Engineering Notebook is roughly divided into three sections. The first section, comprising roughly two-thirds of the volume and preceded by a set of instructions, is devoted to ten war game scenarios pitting hypothetical Blue (United States) and Orange (Japan) forces/fleets against each other in the Pacific Theater, from the west coast of the United States to Asia. Each problem consists of a tactical or strategic scenario, an estimate of the situation, the decided course of action, and a set of proposed corresponding orders. The comments of a reviewing official appear throughout in both blue and orange pencil.

The notebook's second section, beginning on page 128, consists of notes on various mechanical and steam engineering topics, including piston functionality, pumps, valves boiler efficiency, the steam engine indicator, the management of gas engines, horsepower measurement, and drainage systems, as well as the duties of Engineering Officers in certain scenarios. Accompanying the notes are crude mechanical drawings of various systems and components. The final section of the notebook, beginning on page 175, pertains to electrical engineering topics, such as circuits, electrode composition, induction, voltage measurements, grounding, advantages of alternating current, testing sets, magnetos, basic telephony, shipboard wiring, and the Tesla apparatus.

Arrangement

The Naval Tactics and Engineering Notebook comprises a single volume.

Access and Use

Access

Access is unrestricted.

Copyright and Permission

The Naval Tactics and Engineering Notebook is the physical property of Nimitz Library. Copyright belongs to the authors or creators of the works, or their legal representatives. For further information, consult the Head, Special Collections & Archives.

It is the responsibility of the researcher to secure written permission to publish, reprint, or reproduce material from Special Collections & Archives. The researcher assumes responsibility for infringement of copyright or literary or publication rights. Please contact the Head, Special Collections & Archives for permission to publish and for further information.

Acquisition and Appraisal

Provenance and Acquisition

Gift of James D. Ramage in April 1998. Accession No. 98-18.

Related Materials

Related Archival Material

Additional material in this repository on naval tactics and engineering can be found in the W. R. Butt Notebook on Seamanship and Naval Tactics, 1859-1863, MS 186; J. G. Casy's "Concise System of Naval Tactics," 1828, MS 44; the Robert Walter Manuscript on Naval Tactics, circa 1770, MS 160; the John J. Fitzpatrick Notebook, 1901-1902, MS 96; and the John Irwin Notebook, 1854 (approximate), MS 487.

Materials Cataloged Separately

No materials have been removed from this collection and cataloged separately.

Processing and Other Information

Preferred Citation

Naval Tactics and Engineering Notebook, MS 522

Special Collections & Archives Department

Nimitz Library

United States Naval Academy

Processing Information

This collection was processed by David D'Onofrio in August 2019. Finding aid written by David D'Onofrio in August 2019.

Subject Headings

Name and Subject Terms

• Electrical engineering
• Marine engineering
• Naval tactics
• War games

Genre Terms

• Manuscripts
• Notebooks