Ship railway, Manila.-This work was authorized by the executive secretary by indorsement under date of April 18, 1903. Preparation of preliminary plans and estimates was commenced upon receipt of notice, and the report was submitted under date of June 4, 1903. The project consisted of a design for a ship railway for vessels up to 1,400 tons, having a carriage suitable for the largest coast guard vessels, to be located on Engineers Island and in the vicinity of the proposed machine and repair shops. Land surveys.-Authorized land surveys have been made as follows: (1) Survey of the agricultural farm at Singalon, Manila; (2) survey of land to be purchased east of and adjacent to the exposition grounds; (3) survey of the agricultural farm at Mercia, Tarlac. Two authorized surveys are pending. Wharf, Calbayog, Samar.-An inspection of this wharf was authorized and made. Report on same was submitted under date of June 26, 1903. Streets of Cebu.-Improvements in the streets included in the burned area of Cebu and adjacent to land to be reclaimed by harbor improvements are now receiving attention. Paranaque Bridge. Data have been collected on the repair of the pile trestle bridge at Paranaque. This subject is practically complete. Road surveys under prosecution.-Tabulations under the subject of authorized surveys and examinations of road projects show seven roads on which field parties are now engaged. Surveys of church and friar lands.-These surveys were conducted under the direction of the Commission from December 23, 1901, up to and including August, 1903, under the immediate supervision of Señor Juan Villegas, surveyor. The property connected therewith was transferred from the executive bureau to this bureau by authorization of the acting executive secretary under date of February 27, 1903. The total expenses for these surveys, $8,420.96, local currency, do not include expenses for equipment, office material, and drafting utensils. The total aggregate number of estates and parcels surveyed and shown by the report of Señor Villegas is 60, located in the provinces of Bataan, Bulacan, Cavite, Cebu, La Laguna, Pampanga, Rizal, and in the city of Manila. Remaining unsurveyed are the estates of Gamu and Mangarin, in the provinces of Isabela de Luzon and Mindoro, respectively. This work was discontinued August 31, 1903. Miscellaneous work.-Numerous minor investigations in connection with the franchise granted the Manila Railway Company; on artesian wells; on repairs to various portions of the Pasig River walls; on corrections to insular maps for the Bureau of Insular Affairs at Washington, D. C.; on modifications of provincial forms, pay rolls, etc.; on questions relating to provincial boundaries, ferries, extension of stadia tables, standard types of wooden bridges, repair shops, treasury vaults, etc., have been made and have required fully 50 per cent of the time of the clerical and drafting room forces. Transportation and its importance.-The future development of the islands depends largely upon increased transportation facilities. Interisland rates are high. The cost of conveying products from the interior to the markets or to the seaports is excessive and in many cases prohibitive. Proper roads and bridges are lacking; river bar formations render many waterways useless during the dry season, except for rafts, and during the rainy season the currents arising from high-water stages are frequently dangerous to all craft. Water transportation. This is comparatively well developed. It has been fostered and encouraged more or less throughout the entire history of the islands. Coastwise trade has been and will remain the only method of distributing merchandise and of collecting and marketing products. Likewise, the navigable rivers of the islands will remain important arteries of communication between the interior agricultural regions and the markets and seaports. The immediate difficulties to water transportation are of a legislative and a physical nature. Some action should be taken along the line of the appointment of the coastwise rate commission, in accordance with the provisions of Act No. 520, whose immediate duties shall be the determining of uniform tariff schedules applicable to both large and small shipping interests, and the prevention of speculation on the needs or distressed conditions existing from time to time in various provinces. Practically none of the harbors are provided with wharfage facilities. The method of loading and discharging cargoes by lighters is slow and expensive, and frequently damage to goods in transit is incurred. These conditions warrant an expenditure of considerable sums of money annually on the part of the government for wharf and dock construction, for dikes and jetties, for maintaining sufficient water at bar formations, and for the necessary dredging to provide ample wharfage areas. An analysis of a list of 118 vessels engaged in coastwise trade shows the following numbers: Surveys and examinations for the improvement of the harbor of Pasacao, province of Ambos Camarines, have been authorized by the Commission, under date of February 10, 1903, but as yet no field work has been done on this project or report submitted by this office. The following list shows harbors and wharfs of which investigations have been requested but not definitely authorized by the Commission: Harbor vicinity of Laoag (Lake Nangguyudan), province of Ilocos Norte; harbor at Tagbilaran, province of Bohol; harbor at Vigan and improvement of Abra River, province of Ilocos Sur; harbor at Aparri and improvement of Cagayan River, province of Cagayan; wharf at Batangas, province of Batangas; wharf at San Fernando, province of La Union. The following tabulation was compiled from reports on navigable rivers received from provincial officials and some private parties. It shows the name of the river and its location, distance navigable for certain kinds of craft, the principal products transported, and the principal towns influenced by the river described. It also gives briefly the improvements recommended by the party submitting the report, and suggests many improvements worthy of investigation and of insular aid: Northwestern part of province to Lake Near Daet depth, low tide, 10 feet; North of province; runs southeast; Runs east to Manila Bay, bar at Runs east to Manila Bay; bar at mouth; Distance navi- Small steamers, 7 Boats, 12 feet Boats, 12 feet draft, Boats, 20 tons, To Taal-Lemery Cargo transported. Towns concerned. Remarks. Fish, rice, hemp.. Libon, Oas, Polan- Recommends dredging at Hemp, rice, copra, gui. Lumber, bamboo, Dinalupijan, Hernipa. mosa. Sulat Pass and at the Taal, Lemery Recommendation of con- Abstract of provincial reports on navigable rivers-Continued. Bar at mouth prevents entrance large Bancas, 2 miles. boats. Isabela Chico.. Bacahaun 55 miles long; rises in Lepanto, flows Rafts, 33 miles. About same as the Bacahaun; bed, sand Navigable three-fourth mile; 8 feet high tide; 150 feet wide; sand and mud bed. Navigable 1 mile; 7 feet at mouth high.....do tide, 1 foot low tide. 19 feet water at entrance at high tide; About 40 miles long; width 600 feet; Length 65 miles; width 450 feet; high Length 2 miles; width 600 feet; 9 feet at high tide, 2 feet at low tide. a Taken from report of survey by Lieut. Lytle Brown, Engineer Corps, U. S. Army, 1902. On account freshets dredg- |