The conditions under which these operations were conducted in the field were most trying. They entailed not only marching as fast as the army and the construction of a telegraph line equal in length to the daily marches, but also the establishment of telegraph stations at night, their dismantling in the morning, and the dispatch of telegrams during a considerable part of the night. The difficulties were greatly enhanced by the fact that for days at a time the detachment was obliged to work without escort or any protection other than reliance on its own members.

Most unfortunately, this labor, exhausting at the best, was done under most unfavorable climatic conditions, the heat being so excessive as to frequently disable for hours the most energetic men of the Signal Corps. Many of the Chinese laborers were prostrated, and in one day two of them dropped dead from heat and overexertion.

Lieutenant Stamford was alive to the necessities of the occasion, realizing that the nearest telegraphic force was two days behind him. This was the military telegraph organization of the Japanese army, which, being near home, not only had its full equipment, but also a force of 100 enlisted men and 20 or more army carts. As it was, all telegraphic reports of advance operations of the allied armies in the march to Pekin necessarily passed over the Signal Corps line. The occupation of Pekin was thus reported.

It is to be added that during the advance the first information as to the capture of Yangt-sun, on August 6, was received from Major Scriven, Signal Corps, although his telegram of that day was delayed three days in transmission-doubtless owing to the demoralized and congested condition of the Chinese land lines between Chefoo and Shanghai.

In view of the trying and unfavorable conditions recited, it is a source of gratification that the Signal Corps detachment justified the confidence placed in it by General Chaffee and by the Chief Signal Officer. Through the labors of Lieutenant Stamford's men the American army carried the first telegraphic wire into Pekin, where the first telegraph office was installed in the house of Minister Conger.

Fortunately, this action permitted General Chaffee, in Pekin, to extend courtesies, in the way of transmitting telegrams, to officials of the British, Russian, French, German, Italian, and even Chinese governments, and likewise to the press.

So strenuous were the labors of the enlisted Signal Corps men, both before and after their arrival at Pekin, that it was with difficulty that telegraphic work was maintained at Pekin, owing to the large number of operators incapacitated by sickness.

It should not be unrecorded that the United States, so active and efficient in the relief of the legations at Pekin, used every effort to carry out the unanimous request of the foreign consuls in China looking to the prompt supplementing of cable communications by connecting Shanghai with Chefoo and Taku by an international line.

Under the instructions of the Secretary of War the Chief Signal Officer made every effort to bring about the end desired. While no international cable was laid, there is no doubt that the energetic exertions of the United States facilitated the prompt solution of the question. The outcome was the extension of commercial cables-the Eastern Extension and Great Northern companies have laid cables from Shanghai to Chefoo, from Chefoo to Port Arthur, from Chefoo to Weihaiwei,

and from Chefoo to Taku. In other words, the finality of the cable question in China was on lines in keeping with the march of events in other directions. As a final outcome, Great Britain and Russia have enlarged the sphere of their influence by extending their cable systems. to important Chinese stations previously inaccessible, while Germany is likewise engaged. From the present outlook the entire Asiatic coast will continue to be tied up by European cable corporations, to the utter exclusion of facilities entirely American.

MILITARY DIVISION OF CUBA.

The telegraph lines and Signal Corps work connected with the Military Division of Cuba have remained throughout the year in charge of Col. H. H. C. Dunwoody, Signal Corps, who was assigned to this important duty in December, 1898, and under whom the telegraph system of Cuba has been developed to a high degree of efficiency. Colonel Dunwoody's interesting annual report is printed in full as an appendix to the report of the commanding general, Military Division of Cuba. In consequence, the Chief Signal Officer of the Army confines himself to a brief résumé of operations of the Signal Corps in Cuba, supplemented by extracts from reports (Appendix 3) made by Colonel Dunwoody under paragraph 1541, Army Regulations, on matters of current interest or special importance.

As pointed out in previous reports, the first action taken in Cuba was to construct a military telegraph line of a temporary character, so as to promptly place Maj. Gen. John R. Brooke, the commanding general, in direct communication with the garrisons on the island. This labor was performed by the Signal Corps of the Army, and at the expense of the United States. Such energy and application were shown under Colonel Dunwoody's direction as resulted in the establishment, within less than three and one-half months, of a telegraph line from Habana to Santiago. The system was shortly afterwards extended east and west, so that telegraphic communication was had from Baracoa, the extreme eastern end of the island, to San Juan y Martinez at the western end. The line was scarcely up before the entire Signal Corps force in Cuba-a body of able, energetic, and skilled volunteers—was disbanded and replaced by recruits enlisted in the regular Signal Corps. Large withdrawals of skilled men, and the heavy rains of the wet season immediately following, caused more or less line interruptions between Habana and Santiago. The native linemen, who were necessarily employed to replace the Signal Corps men, by their incompetency and indifference contributed to the inefficient working of the line. The rainy season over, Colonel Dunwoody took active steps to correct this condition of affairs. Capt. Samuel Reber, Signal Corps, made general superintendent of the lines, inspected the whole system from Habana to Santiago, located defects, and indicated remedies. Capt. Carl F. Hartmann, signal officer, Department of Santiago, initiated a system of repairs in his department calculated to remove the unfortunate results arising from the heterogeneous collection of telegraph wires of different gauges and material, which arose from the urgent necessity of throwing into one circuit, immediately after the surrender of Santiago, all field and permanent lines. Later, this work was continued with skill and energy by his successor, Lieut. John J. Ryan.

Meanwhile, with the revival of business it became necessary to place the Cuban telegraph system on a permanent basis, so that the increas

ing commercial business, which had been handled by the Signal Corps of the Army, could be made thoroughly efficient. Colonel Dunwoody, alive to the situation, took proper steps to accomplish the desired end, in which he was heartily supported by Maj. Gen. Leonard Wood.

It should be understood that the amounts received for the handling of commercial business were merged with the insular funds of the island, and that monthly allotments were made from these funds by the commanding general, Military Division of Cuba. It thus follows that the military telegraph lines in Cuba, while constructed, operated, and maintained by the Signal Corps of the Army, have been in some ways aided by the insular funds.

The signal corps military telegraph system in Cuba now comprises 3.256 miles, which is distributed in detail as shown in Appendix No. 3. This mileage is divided as follows:

Department of Habana and Penar del Rio..
Department of Matanzas and Santa Clara
Department of Puerto Principe and Santiago

Miles.

569

1,366

1,321

The main features of the system show main lines lengthwise through the center of the island, from the extreme east to the western end, with thirteen intersecting cross lines from north to south, covering the entire island with a network of telegraph lines of which almost every mile is in excellent condition. The bulk of the business, on the line between Habana, Matanzas, and Santa Clara, the great commercial centers, has a thoroughly reliable, excellent service by three separate wires. To the eastward from Santa Clara to Santiago there are two complete wires.

The efficiency of the service is shown by the record of Government telegrams passing between the United States and Porto Rico, which are routed via Habana and Signal Corps lines, and from Porto Rico via Santiago and Signal Corps lines. The orders require that whenever the telegraph service between Habana and Santiago is interrupted the Government messages shall be turned over to the Cuba Submarine Telegraph Company. For several months not one Porto Rican message, as shown by Washington records, has been transferred to the Cuba Submarine Telegraph Company. The messages between Habana and Santiago are usually handled in twenty minutes, including booking, copying, etc.

To perfect the general system the principle of alternative routes has been adopted, and fully three-fourths of all the Cuban stations can be reached by two different routes, thus maintaining telegraphic communication constantly even in the worst of weather. As an illustration of the present efficient service, Colonel Dunwoody states that at a few moments' notice the commanding general at Habana can be put in direct communication with any body of troops in the island. The problem of direct communication between Habana and Santiago, which was never possible under Spanish management, has been thoroughly solved, and the ordinary business between Habana and Santiago is now carried on direct. Messages are transmitted ordinarily with one set of repeaters at Puerto Principe, which in very bad weather is supplemented by a second set at Santa Clara. Every effort has been made by Colonel Dunwoody to locate errors, with a view to the elimination of incompetent and indifferent employees.

It should be said that the reconstruction, repairs, and additional work in connection with the system has been done under very great

difficulties. Railway facilities were extremely limited, and unfortunately the greater part of the work lay to the east of Santa Clara where the use of a railway was not possible. Most of the work was done over country where the use of wagons was impracticable, so that the slow and tedious methods consequent on the use of pack trains were necessitated. In certain sections of the country iron poles have been used, especially where a wood line was subject to destruction owing to the burning over of cultivated fields.

The very great advantages that have arisen from the military telegraph system to the Cuban public are plainly evident. Not only are many points now reached which were before without telegraphic communication, but at the most important coast points the cost of the service has been very greatly reduced. This is illustrated by the fact that the Cuba Submarine Telegraph Company has reduced its HabanaSantiago tariff from a minimum charge of $2.50 a message, for a minimum of ten words, to the minimum charge of 50 cents per message, based on a minimum of five words. The military telegraph system has, however, made no attempt to solicit business, and has established an amicable and satisfactory working arrangement with the Cuba Submarine Telegraph Company for the joint handling of telegrams between military and cable lines.

The commercial rate from Washington to all points in Cuba beyond Habana ranged from 44 to 94 cents per word prior to the SpanishAmerican war. Any point on the island beyond Habana can now be reached over the military telegraph lines by commercial messages at rates varying from 22 cents per word, at a minimum, to 26 cents maximum.

There is a gradual increase in the commercial business, which will undoubtedly grow with the revival of industries. As an illustration of this may be noted the fact that the receipts for August, 1900, amounted to $6,031.58, being an excess of $2,429.30, or 42 per cent, over the receipts for the corresponding month of 1899. There were handled during the year 345,470 messages, about equally divided between governmental and commercial messages. There have been collected as "this line" receipts for commercial messages sent during the fiscal year $57,062.04, and there was transferred to cable companies for commercial business done by them, for which the Signal Corps received the funds in trust, $20,433.55. As the value of the governmental business to different points in the island aggregates $134,974.86, the grand aggregate of business done amounts to $212,470.45.

The direct benefits that have accrued to the military administration by the reconstruction and extension of military telegraph lines in Cuba have been many. As an illustration may be quoted the communication of Lieut. Col. Eugene T. Wilson, commissary of subsistence of volunteers, Department of Santiago, who says:

It gives me great pleasure to testify to the great aid afforded the commissary department in the Department of Santiago by your rehabilitation of the telegraph lines in this department.

Before we had telegraphic communication, on account of long distances by water over which the mails passed and the slowness of transmission of mail by pack train, great difficulty was experienced in packing emergency orders for distant points. Ships would come in bringing mail with tremendous orders for commissaries, which would have to be shipped on the return of the same steamer. Now I can call up all supply points in this department by telegraph and find out how they stand in the matter of rations.

As an illustration of the benefits which have been derived by the United States from the Signal Corps military telegraph system in Cuba, it is to be pointed out that not only is the service more satisfactory than ever before, but that there is an enormous reduction in telegraph tariffs. The United States now pays only 1 cent per word for each Government message sent from Washington to Porto Rico, or from Porto Rico to Washington, as against a tariff of $1.17 per word which was in force until long after the termination of the SpanishAmerican war. The Western Union Telegraph Company made a great concession to the United States by abandoning the cable rate from Key West to Habana and handling Government messages from Washington to Habana at 1 cent per word. At the same time the West India and Panama Cable Company conceded to the United States the privilege of gratuitous transmission of official messages between Santiago and Porto Rico. The minimum charge of the Cuba Submarine Telegraph Company of $2.50 for messages of ten words between Habana and Santiago was obviated by the Signal Corps telegraph lines. Data are lacking for a statement of the exact sum saved during the past fiscal year by the United States through the reduction of tolls thus made on Government messages sent to Porto Rico via Signal Corps lines in Cuba. It appears, however, that during the last quarter of the fiscal year ending June 30, 1900, the War Department alone exchanged with Porto Rico official telegrams amounting to 11,080 words. The tolls on these messages at the rate which obtained prior to the Spanish war would have amounted to $12,963.60, whereas the tolls on messages via Signal Corps lines through Cuba amounted only to $110.80, a difference of $12,852.80 for three months alone or about $50,000 annually.

At the end of the year, exclusive of the officers, the total force in the Signal Corps telegraph system numbered 333, divided as follows: Enlisted men, 58; American employees, 40; Cuban employees, 235, the latter forming more than 70 per cent of the entire force.

The Chief Signal Officer of the Army unites with Colonel Dunwoody in the special commendation of the officers and enlisted men of the Signal Corps and employees for the faithful and most effective manner in which they have discharged their arduous duties.

The accounts of the military telegraph lines pertaining to the commercial business have been regularly audited in accordance with the methods employed on the Signal Corps lines in the United States, which follows that used by the Western Union, Postal, and other prominent telegraph companies.

The final auditing of accounts indicates a most satisfactory condition of affairs, as on June 30, 1900, unadjusted accounts involved only the amount of $650.09, which unsettled balance was in process of settlement. The cable accounts for official cablegrams are settled by the Signal Corps, under Colonel Dunwoody's supervision, at Habana. He calls attention to the very great reduction in the amount expended for official cable messages which has followed the construction of the Signal Corps military telegraph lines in Cuba. It appears that the bill for January, 1900, was $3,609.55, while that for June, 1900, amounted to but $112.47 for Government telegrams from Habana to various points on the island of Cuba. The saving to the Cuban Government probably exceeds $40,000 annually.

The rates over military lines for commercial business are very