ice recommends that the act be extended to cover them, and in this the undersigned heartily concurs. Retiring officials and employees have in many cases been transferred to the United States civil service through the kind offices of the Chief of the Bureau of Insular Affairs, and it is probable that such transfer can be effected in almost every case where the individual is willing to accept considerably lower en trance salary for similar work in the United States service.

The civil-service roster is made as of the 1st of July of each year, and in the year ending July 1, 1916, there was a reduction in the number of Americans in the service of 205, while there was an increase of 844 in the number of Filipinos, a net increase in the number of regular and permanent personnel of 639, but at the same time with a decrease of P139,000 in the amount paid in salaries. The number of Americans in the service had further decreased on January 1, 1917, on which date there were 1,475. Of this number, 301 were professors or teachers, 218 were clerical employees, 190 constabulary officers, 166 technical and scientific employees, 121 patrolmen, prison guards, etc., and 62 chiefs and assistant chiefs of bureaus, etc. The number of Americans separated from the service during the year was 507, or 29 per cent of those in the service; only 22, however, or approximately 1 per cent were separated involuntarily. Of these, 9 died, 8 were removed, and only 5 left the service due to reduction in force or abolition of the position.

As noted above, a successful effort was made during the year to end the practice by which temporary appointments were used extravagantly or for political purposes. During the year ending July 1, 1916, the number of temporary employees decreased from 573 to 355, and on January 1, 1917, to 337.

As is recommended by the director of civil service in his report, more restrictions should be placed by the Legislature upon the granting of accrued leave or the payment in kind for that purpose. While originally established for the benefit of American employees in recognition of the necessity of their visiting the homeland at stated periods, the same arguments do not apply to permanent residents of tle Philippine Islands, who are now in such overwhelming majority in the service. It is quite possible that if Filipinos would use their accrued leave for visits in the United States or travel in foreign lands the expense to the Government, which for accrued leave of all persons in the service amounts to approximately 1,000,000 a year, would be justified, but very few of the Filipino employees make that use of their accrued leave.

Special attention is invited to the statements of the director of civil service that promotions and appointments to office in the Philippine service during the year have been free from political considerations and have been based upon merit and in recognition of the service rendered the government.

PUBLIC UTILITY COMMISSION.

The old board of three members is practically abolished by the appropriation act for 1917, which vested all the powers and duties of the former board in one commissioner, as of January 1, 1917. Commissioner Stephen Bonsal resigned from the service in July, 1916, and Commissioner C. A. De Witt left the Philippines in March

of 1916 on business in connection with the purchase by the government of the Manila Railroad Co., in which he is still engaged since the termination of his position with the board on January 1, 1917. Collector of Customs Bernard Herstein, who was appointed public utility commissioner in Mr. Bonsal's place, left the Philippines in December and has since been occupied in the United States in work upon a proposed revision of the Philippine customs tariff and of the currency and coinage laws of the islands.

The courts in the Philippines overruled during 1916 many of the decisions of the board of public utility commissioners, and thus materially limited the exercise of its powers.

PHILIPPINE HEALTH SERVICE.

With the exception of cholera, no epidemic disease presented any serious problem to the health service during 1916. Cholera, however, was present throughout the year, and 12,847 cases were reported with 7,986 deaths; of these cases, 1,214 were in Manila with 513 deaths. At the end of the year Manila was practically free and only scattered cases remained in the Provinces. The comparatively low ratio of deaths in Manila is due to the activity of a thoroughly organized health service here. The early discovery of cases and prompt removal to San Lazaro Hospital, with immediate treatment, is often attended by prompt recovery. The director of health in his report dwells very interestingly upon the fact that the cholera of 1916 was a "carrier epidemic." It is now an established fact that many persons in apparently good health are cholera carriers, and they become affected by the disease only when the system is, for one cause or another-frequently bad weather conditions-very much. weakened. In December a large sale of spoiled shrimps in the Manila markets brought about an epidemic developing in persons who were unsuspected cholera carriers. Considerable headway, however, was made in the Provinces in cultivating the confidence of the people in the handling by the health service of cholera. For instance, in the town of Hagonoy the establishment of a temporary hospital in the school building brought about the prompt control of what would otherwise have been a most serious cholera epidemic. Following this example emergency hospitals sprung up in many places and patients began to present themselves voluntarily. Considerable difficulty is experienced in regulating the ancient religious customs by which it was sought in earlier days to avert the cholera and which served then, as they still do in a lesser degree, to spread the very disease they were designed to prevent.

The sanitary commissions of the health service have completed health surveys of 10 towns, and the results have been most beneficial in the installation of sewage and waste disposal and in the betterment of water supply, as well as in the improved care of infants. It is most gratifying to note that during the year 57 woman's clubs were formed in various localities to devote themselves to improved instruction in the care of infants. The high rate of infant mortality has always been the most pressing health problem in the Philippines and has served to keep the population down to a point where there are actually not enough people to cultivate the rich lands in the islands.

Encouragement was also given by the health service to the planting of vegetable gardens to vary diets and to eradicate the disease of beriberi as well as other affections of the intestinal tract.

Another interesting development of the health service is the treatment of the insane at San Lazaro Hospital; it was found that most of the cases confined there were due to repeated autointoxication of the intestines, and about 60 per cent of those admitted were discharged as cured after proper intestinal treatment.

We can report that the 4,300 lepers in the leper colony at Culion are living under more cheerful and more progressive surroundings from year to year.

The health service states that revaccination against smallpox has now become desirable because the effects of the general vaccination of 11 years ago are beginning to wear out.

There is a most noticeable and ever-increasing demand for hospitals throughout the Provinces, and so far as it is able to do so the insular government is aiding in this work; but plans have been evolved for the construction by the Provinces themselves of their own provincial hospitals.

The antimosquito work in Manila has greatly reduced mortality from malaria as compared with the previous period in which quinine, used as a prophylactic, was the chief source of dependence. The mortality from malaria was only 56 in the year 1916, which is almost surprising in a city of more than 260,000 inhabitants, situated as it is in the midst of marshy plains.

The Provinces of the Islands are gradually being organized into sanitary divisions, 15 such districts being already in operation. During the year 107 more municipalities established an organized health service, and there were 118 new dispensaries added for the free treatment of the poor.

PHILIPPINE GENERAL HOSPITAL.

On August 30, 1916, a strike of the pupil nurses in the hospital to the number of about 150 took place. These young men and women expressed dissatisfaction with the management of the hospital and formulated certain charges against the director, Dr. Musgrave, and the chief nurse and superintendent of the nurses' training school, Miss McCloskey. These charges were carefully investigated by the director of civil service, who completely exonerated the hospital management of the charges preferred. Subsequently, on October 23, Miss McCloskey resigned from the service and, two days later, Dr. Musgrave also resigned entirely of his own volition, stating that he considered he no longer had control of the situation. The assistant director, Dr. Fernando Calderon, was promoted to the position of director, and Miss Anastasia Giron was made chief nurse and superintendent. Considerable difficulty was experienced for some time in handling the number of patients who presented themselves, and, indeed, for a few weeks the hospital was unable to take care of the normal number of patients. The shortage of nurses was made up, however, by new pupils from the Provinces and by admitting to the service again those of the pupil nurses who had been dismissed as a result of the strike who were conclusively shown by the investigation to have had no leading part in the occurrence, and

who had been guilty of no represensible act in this connection. The Philippine General Hospital has from time to time been the cause of much difficulty in administration, and it is believed that the institution is now upon a more satisfactory basis than ever before and it is running smoothly and harmoniously. In spite of the strike and temporary shortage of nurses more patients were treated in the year 1916 than in the year before, both in the hospital and free dis

pensary.

BUREAU OF LANDS.

It is most satisfactory to note that the Friar-lands collections in 1916 exceeded the best previous year, which is 1913, by P193,287.50, due in part to good crops enabling the tenants to pay their installments and partly to the activity of the agents of the bureau. The total receipts for the year were P1,415,454. Up to the end of 1916 the total of Friar lands sold amounted in value to P 14,976,622, leaving undisposed of in these estates land of the value of P4,368,966.

The cadastral work of the bureau was greatly facilitated by noticeable activity in the courts of first instance in disposing of such cases, which was due to the insistent effort to that end made by the secretary of finance and justice.

Filipinization of the surveyor's service is gradually taking place as Americans leave and are replaced by Filipinos.

It is regrettable that more headway can not be made in the execution of free patents, a great number of which are still pending. The director of the bureau states that this is due to lack of personnel. In any revision of the land laws it is recommended that considerable routine and red tape be eliminated from the process of granting free patents, and that the length of time required for the completion of title be shortened.

BUREAU OF SCIENCE.

The problem of the bureau of science is now to bring the results of its scientific researches within the reach of the people, in order to produce a permanent practical outcome of their labors. An immense work in research is done which, if translated into commercial values, will be of great benefit to the islands. Representatives from the bureau of science should be sent among the people to demonstrate such matters as the utilization of waste products, the development of mineral resources, the production of better leather, the utilization. of forest products, the use of medicinal plants, the conservation and increase of sea products, the relation of insects and birds to agriculture and to man and domestic animals, the adaptation of soils to crops, etc. For this purpose a large staff is necessary for the bureau

of science.

Particularly useful work is done in the investigation of specifics for the diseases of cholera, plague, leprosy, etc., and in the routine. examinations of water and milk.

BUREAU OF FORESTRY.

The bureau of forestry reports a healthy condition of the Philippine lumber industry, stating that all of the mills are running successfully and not a few preparing to increase their outpot. A

specially favorable market for Philippine woods is being developed in south China, and the export to that region was nearly treble that of 1915. Interesting suggestions are made by the director of the bureau as to how to limit the area of cogon grass in the islands by the planting of Ipil trees, and the same tree serves as a corrective of the damage done by caingin clearings.

WEATHER BUREAU.

The year 1916 was extraordinarily free from typhoons, and beneficial results were immediately noted in the coconut and hemp crops. Very little damage was done by storms during the year, except for the destructive floods in Mindanao. The excellent service rendered by this bureau to the observatories of foreign governments was continued and expanded.

PHILIPPINE CONSTABULARY.

The Philippine Constabulary reports a condition of peace throughout all regions of the islands, and notes especially that for the first time since American occupation no head was "taken" in the Mountain Province, and the killings there decreased two-thirds from those reported during the preceding year. This was in part the result of a successful campaign to restrain the carrying of spears by the men in the Mountain Province on their travels, which was accomplished by persuasion and by pointing out to this people the mutual advantage of leaving their weapons at home.

The chief of constabulary reports that in the Department of Mindanao and Sulu, the scene in past years of so much confusion and disorder, splendid results have been attained toward the establishment of order, and gives special credit to Col. Peter E. Traub, United States Army, who served for two years as district chief of constabulary in that department under the supervision of the department governor. Col. Traub himself states: "There is no real racial hostility between the Mohammedans of this district and Filipinos, as can be seen from the fact that where in the agricultural colonies and important centers they mix, they do so fraternally." At the end of the year there were 190 American officers in the constabulary, and 159 Filipino officers. Twenty-nine Americans and 49 Filipinos were appointed third lieutenants during the year. The entrance salary having been subsequently reduced by the salary act, it is probable that no more Americans will come from the United States to enter as third lieutenants.

BUREAU OF PUBLIC WORKS.

Increasing interest in the engineering profession is now noticeable among the Filipinos, and 13 new civil engineers graduated from the University of the Philippines at its last commencement. Most of these young men enter directly into the public service, and 15 of the 42 engineering districts are already directed by Filipinos.

Ten million one hundred and twenty-nine thousand four hundred and eighty-one pesos was spent in public works in 1916 by insular, provincial, and municipal governments, of which P5,920,606 was