SIR: I have the honor to submit the following as the annual report of this Office for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1897:

The operations for the survey and disposal of the public lands of the United States for that period have been carried on with the aid of the offices of the surveyors-general in 17 surveying districts and the regis ters' and receivers' offices in 115 land districts. For details of the business in these offices reference is made to the reports in full of the several surveyors-general and to the tabulated statements showing the business transacted in the district land offices, which are given elsewhere. There is here presented a summary of the official business for the fiscal year, with other matter deemed proper for consideration in connection therewith.

The result shows, as compared with the last fiscal year, a decrease in the number of original homestead entries of 3,298, and of 378,625.17 in acres. In the final homestead entries an increase of 16 is shown, but in the number of acres embraced therein a decrease appears of 11,838.35.

There also appears in the entire disposals of public land during the fiscal year, as compared with the previous fiscal year, a falling off of 5,370,406 acres and in the cash receipts of $18,430.39.

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