to another of the immigration officers, compatible with proper discharge of their duties, dictate the necessity as well as the wisdom of providing for the erection and maintenance there of a suitable building. As will be shown by reference to Table I, irrespective of the influx of residents of Canada, the immigration at the port of Boston, which for the year 1902 was 39,465, this year reached a total of 62,838. During the year it was found necessary to attach to the jurisdiction of the commissioner of immigration of Boston the port of New Bedford, Mass. This action was taken in consequence of cumulative evidence that the laws were being evaded at the last-mentioned port, and that to check the boldness of smugglers it would be necessary to increase the official force there, and place the control of it and of the port under an intelligent and experienced officer. The Bureau feels confident that the result of this change will justify its anticipations. In this connection a report is given of the handling of 418 aliens who were stranded by the wreck of the Portuguese vessel Vera Cruz VII, at Ocracoke Inlet, North Carolina. The detail was assigned to Inspector Bertram N. Stump, of Baltimore, who, under exceptional difficulties, made, at Newbern, N. C., the inspection required by law, subsequently delivering the aliens at their destination (New Bedford, Mass.) to Commissioner Billings. PORT OF NEW BEDFORD, MASS., May 20, 1908. SIR: In the matter of the stranded passengers and crew of the barkentine Vera Cruz VII, which sailed from Brava, Cape de Verde Islands, April 1, 1903, stranded at Ocracoke, North Carolina, May 8, landed at Newbern, N. C., May 12, 1903, I have the honor to reply as follows: Upon arrival at Newbern, N. C., on the evening of May 13, at 6 p. m., I took charge of the passengers and crew, in all, 418 souls. Asst. Surg. M. W. Glover, who had been detailed for this service, will make his report through me, which, when it arrives, I request to be made part of this record. At the surgeon's request I at once authorized the leasing of a vacant house as a temporary hospital, and Acting Assistant Surgeon Primrose, stationed at Newbern, N. C., was authorized to purchase cots, blankets, and a supply of necessary medicines. Ten of the sick were transferred from the old shed in which they were all quartered by 10 p. m. of that date. On May 14 registration of the passengers and crew was begun, and they were ticketed for the purpose of identification, so that later they could be classified into groups and fully manifested. This work continued daily from 8 a. m. until 6 p. m. to the afternoon of Saturday, the 16th instant, when the registration was completed. Many cases of dysentery occurred during the time, and the sick were admitted and discharged from the temporary hospital as Surgeon Glover directed. The temporary shed being overcrowded and not large enough to keep the sexes separate, it was necessary, for sanitary reasons, to move the women and children to the upper floors of the temporary hospital, which were unoccupied. This was also done at the surgeon's request. On Sunday, the 17th instant, strong shipping tags were purchased and all the passengers and crew were tagged to assist the officials at this port upon arrival. I attach herewith copies of letters to the collector of customs and Acting Assistant Surgeon Primrose at Newbern, N. C., marked Exhibits A, B, and C, respectively, which show that there were 29 members of the crew and 389 alien passengers, of which 225 were manifested and 164 were unmanifested, making in all 418 persons landed at Newbern, N. C., who were turned over to me by the collector of customs and the captain of the revenue cutter Boutwell. This does not include the master of the barkentine (Julio M. Fernandez), who escaped at Ocracoke Inlet. Statements which I consider authentic incline me to believe that the first and second pilots were also left on board, and two alien passengers must have also escaped at Ocracoke Inlet; in all, five persons have landed in the United States without medical or other examination, as provided by law. At 6 p. m. Sunday, the 17th instant, all arrangements having been concluded for transportation to New Bedford, Mass., by immigrant train, the superintendent of the Atlantic and North Carolina Railroad (the initial road) agreed to bring us all through at the special rate of not exceeding $12.30 per capita. The same rate applies for the return of the four men employed as special guards on this trip. The train consisted of eight coaches and one baggage car, made up at Newbern, N. C., and supplied with such provisions as the captain of the revenue cutter had left over, he having had charge of the commissary arrangements up to that time. It consisted of about 75 loaves of bread and sufficient canned meats to give them all breakfast the next morning at 9 a. m. en route. At noon, May 18, having been delayed by a wreck on the Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad, near Richmond, Va., I issued all we had left, consisting of crackers. Upon arrival at Washington the food provided by the Department was placed in the baggage car, and they were given a good dinner. At Baltimore, Md., I took on board 3 cans of milk and 2 cans of coffee and 175 loaves of bread, as the order from the Department countermanding the same had not been received, and it was needed. I countermanded the order on Jersey City for the amount taken on at Baltimore. The Portuguese were fed that night about 11 p. m., at Jersey City. Breakfast was given them at 7 a. m. between New London, Conn., and Providence, R. I., and consisted of the supplies secured at Jersey City. The cost of provisions ordered by me for feeding these people will not, I think, exceed 10 cents per capita per meal. The train reached New Bedford at 12.10 p. m., May 19, and Commissioner Billings, with his staff, took charge. The records of the board of inquiry, copies of which are attached hereto, marked Exhibits D, E, and F, held at Newbern, N. C., show as follows: Turned over to Commissioner Billings, at New Bedford, Mass 404 Cases excluded (trachoma).. Cases deferred 398 404 The four men comprising the special guard have been relieved from duty to-day and started on their return to Newbern, N. C. All ship's papers which belong to the immigration authorities, taken from the barkentine, together with copies of the record of the board of special inquiry held at Newbern, N. C., were turned over to Commissioner Billings, of Boston, with the recommendation that they be kept on file at this port by Inspector Wright. Respectfully submitted. The COMMISSIONER-GENERAL OF IMMIGRATION, BERTRAM N. STUMP, Inspector. Washington, D. C. Below is given in full a report of the commissioner of immigration at New York of the operations of his station for the past year. Another year of experience has confirmed me in the opinion expressed in the last annual report as to the Ellis Island structure. It is impossible to employ terms that are too extravagant in reporting upon this costly and handsome building. It is badly designed for the use for which it was intended and it was constructed, unfortunately, in a manner to give ground for the popular impression that the erection of Government buildings is distinguished by the use of poor material and inferior workmanship. The cost of repairs has been heavy, but no amount of repairing, unless the building is remodeled, will ever render it suitable for an immigrant station. To cite but one of its many defects, every alien, be it man or woman, encumbered with heavy and unwieldy baggage and often surrounded with clinging children, has first to mount stairways and then to descend, in undergoing the process of inspection, entailing upon such persons unnecessary distress at a time when few of them are in a condition to undergo fatigue. The board rooms are insufficient, and, as has already been reported, the hospital accommodations are inadequate. 5567-03———5 It is therefore recommended that a sufficient appropriation be made to remodel the interior of the building and enlarge it, so as properly to accommodate the thousands who are dependent for reasonable comfort upon its accommodations. During the year ejectment proceedings were instituted in the State of New Jersey to divest the Government of its title to Ellis Island. These proceedings were subsequently discontinued in New Jersey and instituted in the courts of New York. Under the advice of the law officers of the Government no steps were taken to carry out the purposes of the special appropriations for the enlargement of the area of the island or the construction of additional hospital quarters. Although the delay is seriously detrimental to the interests of good administration at the New York station, it seems prudent to make no expenditures as long as the title is questioned in the courts. It is therefore recommended that both appropriations be continued, so as to become available as soon as the proceedings referred to have been judicially determined. The grounds around the building have during the year been beautified by the removal of the builders' débris, the location of walks, and the planting of shrubs and flowers, thus making, so far as outward appearances go, a great improvement in the station. OFFICE OF COMMISSIONER OF IMMIGRATION, New York, N. Y., August 4, 1903. SIR: I have the honor to submit the following as the annual report concerning the Ellis Island immigrant station for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1903. SOME CHARACTERISTICS OF ELLIS ISLAND WORK. During the preceding twelve months there arrived at this port of New York 689,356 aliens, and of these 631,885 were brought to Ellis Island for inspection. For detailed information concerning the nationalities and other characteristics of these aliens reference is made to the statistical tables appended to the report of the CommissionerGeneral. On April 9 there arrived at New York about 12,600 immigrants, of which number I declined to receive over 6,800, because of the obvious impossibility of inspecting a greater number in one day. The proper application of the complicated immigration laws to thousands of aliens involves an enormous amount of work, both mental and physical, on the part of the Ellis Island force. This office has transacted business on every Sunday of the year excepting Easter Sunday, and with substantially the same officials who were on duty during the week. It knows no regular hours, the inspection work frequently continuing without relief from 9.15 a. m. till after 7 p. m., and sometimes until much later, notwithstanding the fact that no aliens are now received for inspection later than 4 p. m. on any day. It is true that there are times when the primary or line inspectors are excused as early as 1 p. m., but these do not altogether make up for the trying conditions and irregular hours above referred to, while the boards of special inquiry sit regularly from 9.15 a. m. till 4.40 p. m., and often until 5.30 p. m. The work of the inspectors on the line is both mental and clerical, chiefly the former. That of the boards of special inquiry is almost entirely mental, and presents peculiar difficulties. Through trying processes the inspectors and boards are compelled to elicit from thousands of aliens of various nationalities the facts upon which it can be determined whether or not these aliens may enter the United States, that is to say, whether they are paupers, persons likely to become public charges, contract laborers, or anarchists. It is believed that there is no other public office in which such a large number of subordinate officials are called upon to do incessant mental work and exercise discretionary powers of such volume and importance. DISCIPLINE AND EFFICIENCY OF THE FORCE. The discipline and efficiency of the force have undergone much improvement during the past twelve months. A number of unfaithful officials, some holding important positions, have been dismissed through charges filed pursuant to civilservice rules. Such charges cover various misdeeds both against the Government |