1890-January-22: Admiral Bancroft Gherardi submitted a significant report to the Navy Department assessing the strategic competition between France and the U…

1890-January-22: Admiral Bancroft Gherardi submitted a significant report to the Navy Department assessing the strategic competition between France and the United States for dominance in Haiti. Gherardi argued that the “strategical value of this Island from a naval point of view is invaluable,” specifically noting its importance to the millions being invested in the Nicaragua Canal. While he advised against an immediate effort to seize Môle Saint-Nicolas, he predicted that “in the near future it can be done,” and urged the U.S. to prevent any other power from establishing a protectorate.