number of prospectors and miners will be greatly augmented in the near future. It seems, therefore, most important that immediate steps should be taken to make it possible for the government established in these islands to grant mining claims.

There is, furthermore, necessity for some tribunal empowered to decide questions arising in regard to Spanish mining grants and socalled "titles," although the word "title" is in this case a misnomer, for under Spanish law only concessions were granted, the title being continued in the Crown. The ownership of the concessionary was limited to a license of indeterminate length, allowing him to extract certain minerals and to dispose of the same and to convey to others his rights by deed. This "title" was at all times subject to eleven general conditions, and failure to comply with any one of them made it possible for the Crown to cancel the concession.

Endless questions are arising as to the status of concessions granted by the Spanish Government to which the titles had been perfected or were in process of perfection. For purposes of convenience, claims are here referred to as "first-class claims" where title has been perfected, and as "second-class claims" where title was in process of perfection.

FIRST-CLASS CLAIMS (SPANISH GRANTS RECORDED).

Of such concessions there were recorded and uncanceled upon the records at the time the Philippine Islands were ceded by Spain to the United States no less than 481. These claims were embraced in 152 "expedientes" (or petitions); in other words, there were 152 different mines. They were distributed among the various minerals as follows:

Some of these grants are doubtless invalid because of long abandonment, but the formal entry of cancellation has not been made upon the records.

SECOND-CLASS CLAIMS (INCOMPLETE SPANISH GRANTS).

When the Philippine Islands were ceded to the United States there were proceedings pending in the department of mines for the survey and official demarcation of 113 claims, embracing 10,941,614.71 square

meters, and contained in 37 petitions, and divided among the minerals as follows:

These claims had not yet reached a stage where they could be closed by a concession, since, by the terms of the Spanish law, the act of demarcation, based on a definite official survey by a public surveyor, was a condition precedent to the granting of a title, and was the only means by which the lands could be segregated from the public domain.

THIRD-CLASS CLAIMS.

There remains a third class of claims, viz, those which it was attempted to establish through the mining bureau at Manila by the filing of petitions there between May 4, 1898, and March 30, 1899. It would appear that there was no warrant of law for the filing of such petitions, and that they have no legal value. Nevertheless, they number 1,618 and embrace 149,288,134.37 square meters. They are divided among the minerals as follows:

As already stated, it is of great importance that some tribunal should be established at the earliest possible date by which the legal status of these claims may be determined. In many if not all instances the disturbed conditions which have prevailed in the archipelago since 1896 have prevented the owners of claims of the first class from fulfilling all the conditions precedent to keeping their titles clear. They desire to pay the taxes due on this property, if it be held that they are the rightful owners on the one hand, and on the other they can. hardly be compelled to pay them unless their ownership is recognized. They also, and very naturally, desire to prevent others from squatting on their claims. Similarly, those who had begun to perfect titles to

mining concessions prior to the change of sovereignty are anxious to learn what their rights are.

The island government is interested in the clearing up of titles to these mining properties on account of the revenue which would result. The owners, or would-be owners, are interested on account of the possible profit to themselves. The people at large are interested on account of the increased opportunities for the employment of labor which would accompany the active development of mineral deposits. There is every reason, therefore, why a mining code should be enacted for these islands at the earliest practicable time and suitable provision made for determining the rights of all claimants to mining properties. It is believed that this whole matter should be dealt with here by the legislative body at present existing in the islands, but the Commission has held that it can not determine questions arising as to existing claims nor consider applications for new concessions until duly authorized by Congress. In view of the importance of the interests involved, such authorization is urgently requested.

FORESTRY.

The timber of the Philippine Archipelago forms one of its most important natural sources of wealth. The timber-producing trees have been classified in order of their commercial value as follows: Superior group, 12 species; first group, 17 species; second group, 49 species; third group, 74 species; fourth group, 200 species; fifth group, 33 species; total species, 385. It is certain that there still remain more than 50 species not yet classified. Included in this list are very hard woods, capable of taking a beautiful polish; woods that resist climatic influences and are proof against the attacks of white ants; woods especially suited to use for sea piling, on account of their imperviousness to the attacks of Teredo navalis, or for railroad ties, because they last extremely well when placed in the ground; in short, there are woods for every imaginable use.

There is a great variety of trees yielding valuable gums, and rubber and gutta-percha are abundant in Mindanao and Tawi-Tawi. At least 17 dyewoods are produced within the limits of the archipelago, while other trees yield valuable essential oils or drugs. It has been estimated by the present head of the Forestry Bureau, from such data as he has been able to secure, that there are not less than 40,000,000 acres of forest lands in the archipelago.

Under the Spanish administration a force of 66 expert foresters and 64 rangers, with 40 other subordinates, such as clerks, draftsmen, etc., formed the personnel of the forestry department. The service was organized in 1863, and throughout its history the higher officials were selected from the Spanish corps of engineers. No Filipino was per

mitted to hold any of the more important positions. In addition to the care of the forests, the department had in charge the survey of all public lands. The annual income during the last years of the Spanish régime was approximately $150,000, Mexican.

The present forestry bureau was organized on the 14th of April, 1900, under General Order No. 50, which placed Capt. George P. Ahern, Ninth United States Infantry, in charge, making no specifications whatever as to his duties. He received authority to employ 4 foresters, 2 rangers, a stenographer, and a translator. This force was gradually increased until, on the 18th of September, it consisted of a translator, a stenographer, a chief assistant, 7 assistant foresters, 1 head ranger, and 13 rangers.

On July 1 regulations prepared by the forestry bureau and governing the utilization of the forest products of state lands were published as General Order No. 92. These regulations were based on those in force under Spanish sovereignty, but the latter were somewhat condensed and a few changes were introduced. The old blank forms were kept and additional ones provided for. Under the new rules the prices per cubic foot charged by the Government for timber cut on public lands are as follows: Superior group, 7 cents; first group, 5 cents; second group, 4 cents; third group, 1 cents; fourth group, 1 cent; fifth group, cent (United States currency). There are given lists of the trees of the several groups, with their common names and their scientific names, so far as the latter have been ascertained, together with rules governing the cutting and measuring of timber and the payment of the charges thereon, as well as provisions as to how the various gums shall be gathered.

It seemed extremely important that an order allowing the cutting of timber should be put into force at the earliest possible time, as there was practically a lumber famine at Manila and other important points in the archipelago, while the destruction of buildings incident to the war, and the increased demand for good dwelling houses, resulting from the large influx of Americans, made it imperative that provisions should be made so that the felling of trees and marketing of lumber might lawfully begin. The regulations were, therefore, necessarily somewhat hastily compiled by those having the work in charge.

The Commission is now able to profit by the practical results obtained through putting them into force, and is of the opinion that the clerical work connected with the cutting and marketing of timber can be simplified considerably with profit to all concerned. It seems probable that the rates charged, which are greatly in excess of those charged under the Spanish tariff, should be somewhat reduced. The whole matter will be made the subject of careful investigation and legislative action in the near future.

Early in September the Commission investigated the affairs of the forestry bureau and learned that no attempt had been made to enforce the forestry regulations outside the island of Luzon, even in such great commercial centers as Iloilo and Cebú. With a view to the immediate increase of its efficiency, the forestry bureau was reorganized, so as to consist of an officer in charge, an inspector, a botanist, a chief clerk and stenographer, a translator, a law clerk, a record clerk, 10 assistant foresters, and 30 rangers, the existing force of foresters and rangers to be augmented gradually, as occasion might require, until the number above indicated was reached.

Active steps are now being taken toward the location of foresters and rangers at important points throughout the archipelago as fast as circumstances will permit.

The present monthly collections of revenue from forest products are about $8,000 (Mexican). This sum should be largely increased in the near future. If the statements of the chief of the forestry bureau are correct, the forests of the Philippine Islands are more extensive and more valuable than those of India. It is of the utmost importance that the wanton destruction of valuable timber which has been allowed to go on here in the past should be checked at the earliest practicable time, while, with the exercise of proper supervision over the cutting of timber and the construction of better roads, the annual revenue from the sale of forest products should soon become a very important source of income. The chief difficulty which confronts us at present is the lack of honest and active subordinate officials.

It is absolutely necessary that the men who occupy these posts should be familiar with the more important of the different kinds of woods, so that they may be able to survey consignments of timber and make proper collections thereon. The men at present used for this work were, almost without exception, formerly employed for it under the Spanish régime, and in the view of the chief of the bureau. many of them are corrupt. They are exposed to severe temptation, for it is a simple matter to transfer a wood from the class in which it belongs to a lower class, thereby saving a considerable sum to the owner, who is often only too willing to give a part of what he can make in this way to the forester or ranger with whom he is dealing in order to escape the payment of the full amount due.

It is believed that competent men should be trained on the ground for these positions as speedily as possible, and that meanwhile a close inspection should be maintained over the work of the present incumbents in office, who have been informed that if they are detected in dishonesty they will not only be dropped from the service of the forestry bureau, but will be ineligible for appointment to any office which falls under the civil-service law.