[No. 788.] AN ACT authorizing the construction of a fourteen-hundred-ton marine railway and repair shops on Engineer Island, and authorizing the expenditure of the sum of one hundred and forty thousand dollars, United States currency, therefor. By authority of the United States, be it enacted by the Philippine Commission, that: SECTION 1. The effective service of the Coast Guard boats requiring that some adequate place be prepared where they can be properly docked and repaired, the Chief of Coast Guard and Transportation is hereby authorized to have constructed, under his direction, a fourteen-hundred-ton marine railway, with the necessary machine or repair shops, for the use of the Coast Guard vessels and other vessels belonging to the Insular Government. Said marine railway shall be located on the small island known as Engineer Island, lying immediately south of the Pasig River between the canal leading from the Pasig River to what is known as the Inner Basin and the west breakwater in Manila Bay, in accordance with the plans to be furnished by the Chief of Coast Guard and Transportation and approved by the Secretary of Commerce and Police. SEC. 2. Such part of Engineer Island as is necessary for the use of the Coast Guard fleet and for the construction of the marine railway and repair shops as authorized by this Act is hereby assigned, subject to regulation by the Secretary of Commerce and Police, to the Bureau of Coast Guard and Transportation, together with all the wharfage front about the island and the anchorage space in what is known as the Inner Basin and inside of a line drawn from the southeast corner of Engineer Island to the end of the pier on which the breakwater light is now located, and also the canal leading to the proposed marine railway, with the necessary entrance thereto. SEC. 3. The Chief of Coast Guard and Transportation in constructing said marine railway shall procure the building of same and of the repair shop as far as practicable by contract or contracts by private individuals or corporations. Advertisements for bids for doing such work shall be inserted for at least ten days in at least two newspapers of general circulation published in the city of Manila, one of which shall be published in the English language, and one in the Spanish language, and contracts for performing the work shall be awarded to the lowest bidder or bidders, except as hereinafter provided. At the time and place fixed in the advertisement all bids for doing the work or parts thereof shall be opened by the Chief of Coast Guard and Transportation, who shall award the contract for doing the same to the lowest responsible bidder, provided the Chief of Coast Guard and Transportation deems the bid reasonable. If he considers the lowest responsible bid to be excessive, he is hereby authorized to reject same and may again advertise one or more times for new bids and open the same and award the contract, as in the first instance, to the lowest responsible bidder, if in his judgment the same is reasonable, and if not, he shall reject same: Provided, however, That after one advertisement without obtaining a satisfactory bid, the Chief of Coast Guard and Transportation, if he considers it more economical and advantageous to the public interests, shall report the fact to the Secretary of Commerce and Police, who shall, if he deems further adver tising undesirable, order the work done directly by the Chief of Coast Guard and Transportation, under such rules as the Secretary of Commerce and Police may establish for the employment of labor, and other details: Provided further, That the amount contracted for or expended under this section shall not exceed one hundred and forty thousand dollars in money of the United States: And provided further, That no bid shall be accepted or contract concluded without the approval of the Secretary of Commerce and Police. The provisions of subsections (d), (e), (f), (g), (h), (i), (j), (k), (l), (m), (n), (0), (p), (q), (r), and (s) of section five of Act Numbered Twenty-two, entitled "An Act appropriating one million dollars in money of the United States for improving the port of Manila," shall be observed by the Chief of Coast Guard and Transportation and shall be applicable to all bids and contracts hereunder. In all cases where the Chief of Coast Guard and Transportation shall, in accordance with the provisions of this Act, find it necessary or advantageous to purchase material or machinery, such purchase or purchases shall be made through the Insular Purchasing Agent unless otherwise directed by the Civil Governor. SEC. 4. The public good requiring the speedy enactment of this bill, the passage of the same is hereby expedited in accordance with section two of "An Act prescribing the order of procedure by the Commission in the enactment of laws," passed September twentysixth, nineteen hundred. SEC. 5. This act shall take effect on its passage. [No. 789.] AN ACT amending Act Numbered Two hundred and forty-two, entitled "An Act amending Act Numbered One hundred and seventy-five, and establishing a supply store for the benefit of civil servants of the Insular and Provincial Governments stationed outside of the city of Manila." By authority of the United States, be it enacted by the Philippine Commission, that: SECTION 1. Section one of Act Numbered Two hundred and fortytwo, entitled "An Act amending Act Numbered One hundred and seventy-five, and establishing a supply store for the benefit of civil servants of the Insular and Provincial Governments stationed outside the city of Manila," is hereby repealed, and the following substituted therefor: "SECTION 1. The Chief of Philippines Constabulary is hereby authorized and directed to establish a civil supply store in the city of Manila and the necessary branches thereof in the provinces of the Philippine Islands for the purpose of furnishing food supplies and other necessaries of life to the officers and members of the Philippines Constabulary at reasonable prices. All other officers and employees of the various departments of the insular and provincial governments and all teachers in the public schools, stationed outside of the city of Manila, may purchase supplies at any branch of said supply store." SEC. 2. The public good requiring the speedy enactment of this bill, the passage of the same is hereby expedited in accordance with section two of "An Act prescribing the order of procedure by the WAR 1903-VOL 8-36 Commission in the enactment of laws," passed September twentysixth, nineteen hundred. SEC. 3. This act shall take effect on its passage. Enacted, June 1, 1903. [No. 790.] AN ACT empowering the provincial board of the Province of Isabela to make appropriation for the porportionate part of accrued leave of absence earned by J. Thomas Hurd while provincial supervisor of said province. Whereas J. Thomas Hurd, having resigned his position as an employee of class eight in the Department of Engineering and Public Works, city of Manila, is entitled to leave of absence expiring July fourteenth, nineteen hundred and three; and, Whereas such leave should be apportioned between the Province of Isabela and the city of Manila, in view of the fact that said Hurd was for a portion of his service the provincial supervisor of said province, with a compensation of one thousand five hundred dollars per annum, and the city of Manila having already granted him its proportionate share of said leave of absence: Now, therefore, By authority of the United States, be it enacted by the Philippine Commission, that: SECTION 1. The provincial board of the Province of Isabela is hereby authorized and empowered to appropriate the sum of two hundred and forty-one dollars and sixty-seven cents, in money of the United States, to J. Thomas Hurd, formerly provincial supervisor of said province, in payment for the proportionate part of accrued leave of absence due to said Hurd by said province, such leave being that to which he is entitled under the provisions of Act Numbered Eighty, as amended, and the computation for the appropriation being upon the basis of leave commencing May first, nineteen hundred and three, at a compensation of one thousand five hundred dollars per annum. The provincial treasurer of said province is hereby authorized and directed to make payment in accordance with law to said Hurd of such amount, pursuant to appropriation duly made. SEC. 2. The public good requiring the speedy enactment of this bill, the passage of the same is hereby expedited in accordance with section two of "An Act prescribing the order of procedure by the Commission in the enactment of laws," passed September twenty-sixth, nineteen hundred. SEC. 3. This act shall take effect on its passage. [No. 791] AN ACT to suspend the operation of Act Numbered Six hundred and thirty-seven, entitled "An Act regulating the registration, branding, conveyance, and slaughter of large cattle." and all amendments thereto, until the first day of August, nineteen hundred and three. By authority of the United States, be it enacted by the Philippine Commission, that: SECTION 1. The operation of Act Numbered Six hundred and thirtyseven, entitled "An Act regulating the registration, branding, con veyance, and slaughter of large cattle," and of all amendments thereto, is hereby suspended until the first day of August, nineteen hundred and three. SEC. 2. The public good requiring the speedy enactment of this bill, the passage of the same is hereby expedited in accordance with section two of "An Act prescribing the order of procedure by the Commission in the enactment of laws," passed September twenty-sixth, nineteen hundred. SEC. 3. This act shall take effect on its passage. [No. 792.] AN ACT to authorize the issue of three million dollars of certificates of indebtedness under and by authority of section six of the act of Congress entitled "An Act relating to currency for the Philippine Islands," approved March second, nineteen hundred and three, in addition to the three millions of dollars of certificates of the same character already authorized by Act Numbered Six hundred and ninety-six; and amending section two of Act Numbered Six hundred and ninety-six by striking out the requirement that the certificates of indebtedness already issued shall state upon their face that they were issued for the purpose of purchasing silver bullion. By authority of the United States, be it enacted by the Philippine Commission, that: SECTION 1. The Secretary of War is hereby authorized, on behalf of the Government of the Philippine Islands, temporarily to issue certificates of indebtedness to the extent of three millions of dollars, in money of the United States, bearing interest at a rate not to exceed four per centum annually, payable at periods of three months or more, but not later than one year from date of issue, in denominations of one thousand dollars, in currency of the United States, and redeemable in gold coin of the United States, which certificates of indebtedness shall be disposed of by the Secretary of War at such favorable rate of interest or premium as he may be able to secure, the proceeds thereof to be deposited with the Guaranty Trust Company, the authorized depository of the Government of the Philippine Islands, to the credit of the Treasury of the Philippine Islands. These certificates. are authorized by and shall be issued in accordance with section six of said Act of Congress approved March second, nineteen hundred and three, entitled "An Act relating to currency for the Philippine Islands," and the proceeds thereof are to be used as provided in said Act. The certificates issued hereunder shall state upon their face that they have been issued in accordance with the terms of said section and by authority of this Act of the Philippine Commission, and that they are in addition to the issue of three millions of dollars of similar certificates, issued under Act Numbered Six hundred and ninety-six of the Philippine Commission, enacted March twenty-third, nineteen hundred and three. SEC. 2. The Secretary of War shall report to the Auditor and Treasurer of the Philippine Islands the amount of the certificates of indebtedness the issue of which is authorized in the previous section, which he shall issue under the authority thereof, the numbers and denominations thereof, the rate of interest to be paid thereon, the time when payable, the premium, if any, at which they were issued, and the total proceeds therefrom; and such facts shall be made a matter of record in the offices of the Auditor and Treasurer of the Philippine Islands. The certificates to be issued under this Act shall be numbered consecutively, the first certificate thereof bearing the number next after that of the last numbered certificate issued under Act Numbered Six hundred and ninety-six. SEC. 3. It appearing that the certificates of indebtedness for three millions of dollars, issued under Act Numbered Six hundred and ninety-six, and already sold in the markets of New York, did not state upon their face, as required by section two of said Act Numbered Six hundred and ninety-six, "that they have been issued in accordance with the terms of said section for the purpose of purchasing silver bullion in execution of the provisions of said Act of Congress," the act of the Secretary of War in issuing the certificates without the said statement is hereby confirmed, and said section is hereby amended by striking out the words "and shall state upon their face that they have been issued in accordance with the terms of said section for the purpose of purchasing silver bullion in execution of the provisions of said Act of Congress." SEC. 4. The public good requiring the speedy enactment of this bill, the passage of the same is hereby expedited in accordance with section two of "An Act prescribing the order of procedure by the Commission in the enactment of laws," passed September twenty-sixth, nineteen hundred. SEC. 5. This act shall take effect on its passage. [No. 793.] AN ACT to authorize a loan of one thousand dollars, United States currency, to the Province of Batangas, to enable the provincial board to make provision, by loan or otherwise, to meet the emergency in the municipality of Batangas caused by a fire destroying the market and rendering homeless a large number of people. By authority of the United States, be it enacted by the Philippine Commission, that: SECTION 1. The provincial board of Batangas is hereby authorized to borrow, by resolution, from the Insular Treasury, the same to be paid out of the three-million-dollar relief fund, the sum of one thousand dollars, United States currency; said sum to be used by the provincial board as it may deem wise in aid of the municipality of Batangas to meet the emergency presented by a fire destroying its market and rendering homeless a large number of its people. The sum thus borrowed shall be repaid by the provincial board without interest to the Insular Treasurer on or before the expiration of two years from the date of the loan. The amount loaned shall be paid to the provincial treasurer of Batangas upon receipt by the Insular Treasurer of a resolution of the provincial board accepting the loan and agreeing to repay the same as by this section provided. SEC. 2. There is hereby appropriated, out of the three-million-dollar relief fund voted by the Congress of the United States for use in the Philippine Islands, the sum of one thousand dollars, United States currency, to comply with the provisions of this Act. SEC. 3. The public good requiring the speedy enactment of this bill, the passage of the same is hereby expedited in accordance with sec |