EXHIBIT C. CHINESE AND IMMIGRATION CIRCULAR No. 141. Extending time for registration of Chinese to October 29, 1903. OFFICE OF THE COLLECTOR OF CUSTOMS, To all collectors of customs, provincial treasurers, and others concerned: PAR. II. Paragraphs III, XXXVII, and XXXVIII of said Chinese and Immigration Circular No. 85, are hereby modified so as to conform thereto. PAR. III. Philippine customs officers and all registrars and deputy registrars of Chinese shall give due publicity to the terms of this circular. W. MORGAN SHUSTER, Collector of customs for the Philippine Islands. EXHIBIT D. [ACT No. 989.] AN ACT amending section fifteen of act numbered seven hundred and two by extending the time for completing the registration of Chinese in the Philippine Islands. By authority of the United States, be it enacted by the Philippine Commission, That whereas it was impossible to complete the registration of all Chinese persons in the Philippine Islands within the six months ending October twenty-ninth, nineteen hundred and three, in accordance with section fifteen of act numbered seven hundred and two, the time for such registration is, pursuant to authority granted by section four of the act of Congress approved April twenty-ninth, nineteen hundred and two, hereby extended for a period of two months to date from October twenty-ninth, nineteen hundred and three. SEC. 2. The public good requiring the speedy enactment of this bill, the passage of the same is hereby expedited in accordance with section two of "An act prescribing the order of procedure by the Commission in the enactment of laws," passed September twenty-sixth, nineteen hundred. SEC. 3. This act shall take effect on its passage. EXHIBIT E. [ACT No. 1035.] AN ACT amending section fifteen of act numbered seven hundred and two, and section one of act numbered nine hundred and eighty-nine, by extending the time for completing the registration of Chinese in the Philippine Islands. Whereas it was impossible to complete the registration of all Chinese persons in the Philippine Islands within the eight months ending December twenty-ninth, nineteen hundred and three, as provided in acts numbered seven hundred and two and nine hundred and eighty-nine: Therefore, By authority of the United States, be it enacted by the Philippine Commission, That the time for such registration is, pursuant to authority granted by section four of the act of Congress approved April twenty-ninth, nineteen hundred and two, hereby extended for a period of two months, to date from December twenty-ninth, nineteen hundred and three. SEC. 2. The public good requiring the speedy enactment of this bill, the passage of the same is hereby expedited in accordance with section two of "An act prescribing the order of procedure by the Commission in the enactment of laws," passed September twenty-sixth, nineteen hundred. SEC. 3. This act shall take effect on its passage. Enacted, January 6, 1904. EXHIBIT F. [ACT NO. 1084.] AN ACT amending section fifteen of act numbered seven hundred and two, section one of act numbered nine hundred and eighty-nine, and section one of act numbered one thousand and thirty-five by extending the time for completing the registration of Chinese in the Philippine Islands. Whereas it was impossible to complete the registration of all Chinese persons in the Philippine Islands within the ten months ending February twenty-ninth, nineteen hundred and four, as provided in acts numbered seven hundred and two, nine hundred and eightynine, and one thousand and thirty-five: Therefore, By authority of the United States, be it enacted by the Philippine Commission, That the time for such registration is, pursuant to authority granted by section four of the act of Congress approved April twenty-ninth, nineteen hundred and two, hereby extended for a period of two months, to date from February twenty-ninth, nineteen hundred and four. SEC. 2. The public good requiring the speedy enactment of this bill, the passage of the same is hereby expedited in accordance with section two of "An act prescribing the order of procedure by the Commission in the enactment of laws," passed September twenty-sixth, nineteen hundred. SEC. 3. This act shall take effect on its passage. EXHIBIT G. CHINESE AND IMMIGRATION CIRCULAR No. 157. Regulations governing the issuance of duplicate-original certificates of residence to take the place of certificates lost or destroyed. OFFICE OF THE COLLECTOR OF CUSTOMS To all collectors of customs, provincial treasurers, and others concerned: "Regulations covering the issuance of such certificates are prescribed in Paragraph XVII of Chinese and Immigration Circular No. 85. You are requested to forward the necessary affidavits and two photographs, together with the fee of $1 United States currency, to this office, retaining a copy of the affidavits and one photograph to attach to the duplicate certificate now on file in your office. Upon receipt of same, the affidavits being deemed sufficient, a duplicate of the original certificate will be issued by this office. Affidavits should be obtained in duplicate in order to complete the record in the offices of both the registrar and the insular collector of customs. Respectfully, (signed) H. B. McCoy, Acting Collector of Customs for the Philippine Islands." H. B. McCoy, Acting Collector of Customs for the Philippine Islands. EXHIBIT H. CHINESE AND IMMIGRATION CIRCULAR No. 161. Disposition of certificates of residence remaining on hand undelivered. OFFICE OF The Collector OF CUSTOMS To all collectors of customs, provincial treasurers, and others concerned: PARAGRAPH I. Chinese certificates of residence remaining on hand undelivered in the offices of registrars and deputy registrars of Chinese shalt be held in said offices for a period of one year from the close of the registration period (April 29, 1904), after which time all undelivered certificates shall be canceled, the original copy to be forwarded to this office, and the duplicate copy placed on file with the permanent records of the office where issued. PAR. II. Chinese merchants returning to the islands after this period who have had their certificates of residence canceled in accordance with Paragraph I of this circular, may be issued a landing certificate of residence at the port in which they enter in lieu of the certificate canceled upon payment of the regular fee therefor. PAR. III. Philippine customs officers and all registrars and deputy registrars of Chinese shall give due publicity to the terms of this circular. W. MORGAN SHUSTER, Collector of Customs for the Philippine Islands. APPENDIX G. REPORT OF THE DEPUTY SURVEYOR OF CUSTOMS, IN CHARGE OF ARRASTRE. OFFICE OF THE DEPUTY SURVEYOR OF CUSTOMS, IN CHARGE OF ARRASTRE PLANT, SIR: I have to submit, pursuant to your directions, the report of the operations of the arrastre plant of the Manila custom-house for the period from October 16, 1903, to September 1, 1904. "Arrastre" is a Spanish word meaning "transportation of goods from one place to another." The arrastre system for unloading imported merchandise at the custom-house wharf and conveying it to the custom-house warehouses was purchased by the government and placed under governmental control October 16, 1903, as a remedy for the bad conditions which then and formerly existed at Manila in regard to the delays, expense, and difficulty in discharging imported merchandise, whereby steamships were subjected to great demurrage and importers to exactions and annoyances. The results accomplished have been, in brief: (1) Ships have saved demurrage. (2) A better and more expeditious service has been given at the custom-house wharf and warehouses. (3) Importers have been saved much expense. (4) Breakage of goods due to rough handling has been almost if not quite prevented— a further saving. (5) The service has been self-sustaining, and has in addition refunded the entire cost of the plant to the government. (6) Importers and ship agents are pleased and satisfied. (7) The former bad name of the port of Manila has been wiped out. REASONS FOR PURCHASE OF ARRASTRE. The operation by the government of the arrastre system at the custom-house had been considered and recommended almost since the American occupation of the Philippines. One of the leading factors which gave a bad name to the port of Manila, causing steamships and commerce to avoid it, was the unsatisfactory and expensive conditions and delays surrounding the discharge of imported merchandise, created by inadequate landing facilities and the practice of sorting all cargoes on board the steamships regardless of the delay occasioned, and by the delays in landing and warehousing. In the first report of the secretary of finance and justice, made to the Philippine Commission November 1, 1902, the bad condition then and previously existing was discussed as follows: "There has been very great complaint in regard to the expense of bringing imported merchandise from steamers in the harbor to the custom-house and wharves and landing them and placing them in proper warehouses, and of the delay in such operations owing to the insufficient character of the lightering and landing facilities and the method of carrying on that business, and from sorting the cargo on board the incoming steamers in such way that each owner might receive his own merchandise in his own casco or lighter or cascoes and lighters engaged by him for that purpose. Steamers have been subjected to great demurrage by the delay incident to that process and to the insufficient landing facilities at the custom-house wharves." In the second annual report of the secretary of finance and justice for the period ending September 1, 1903, it was stated: 'It was considered highly undesirable that the steam cranes and derricks for unloading goods upon the customs wharves and the tramways should belong to private individuals and be operated by them. It was particularly objectionable at Manila, in view of the fact that the owners of the arrastre plant were likewise the largest owners of cascoes, lorchas, and lighters for bringing the goods to the customs wharves from the steamers, and the charge was often made, justly or unjustly, that importers who did not employ the owners of the arrastre plant to do their lightering were discriminated against so that their goods were delayed in landing and their demurrage expenses were made much larger. Under the provisions of act No. 897 the government undertakes to perform the arrastre operations at actual cost, so that importers are furnished the best of facilities and all extortionate charges or discrimination are rendered impossible." This arrastre system, by which a private contractor possessing a monopoly handled the imported merchandise within the custom-house, was found in existence at the American occupation, and was allowed by tacit consent, but without official sanction, to continue as a temporary solution of a difficult problem. The several collectors of customs called attention to the situation and the bad conditions existing, suggesting various remedies. PREVIOUS HISTORY. Previous to 1886 each individual importer of Manila received his merchandise at the ship's side in the bay in his own casco or lighter, and got it ashore and through the customhouse with his own labor as best he could. As importations increased, this system, or rather lack of system, was found more and more impracticable and expensive. In November, 1886, the importers got together on the matter and with consent of the Spanish Government entered into a contract with Ramon Montanez to discharge all vessels from foreign ports, to lighter the merchandise ashore to the custom-house, and to land and warehouse the goods. When delivery was desired the importer would bring his own or hired laborers into the warehouses and take out his goods-an especially obnoxious feature from a customhouse standpoint and considering that many other importers had merchandise in the same warehouse. Montanez placed three steam cranes on the wharf and installed the tramway with its steam locomotives and cars for conveying the merchandise from the wharf on the river front to the custom warehouses. Montanez later sold the plant and contract to Santiago Dominguez & Co., who operated it until after the American occupation, when it was sold to D. M. Carman & Co., December 5, 1898. This firm soon after entered into two new contracts with the importers, surrendering the old, (1) to lighter the foreign merchandise from the ships to the custom-house wharf, and (2) to do the arrastre work proper of conveying the merchandise from the wharf to and storing it in the warehouses. They improved the arrastre plant, added another steam crane in 1901, built additional tracks to the new warehouses constructed in 1901, and added new cars. PURCHASE BY CUSTOM-HOUSE. In 1902 the question of governmental operation of the arrastre plant was taken up with more earnestness by the insular collector of customs, and some preliminary negotiations were had with Carman & Co. looking to the purchase of the system. The matter was laid before the Philippine Commission, which on January 28, 1903, passed a resolution authorizing the secretary of finance and justice and the collector of customs to negotiate for the purchase of the plant and to operate it, and on March 7, 1903, a further resolution authorizing the collector of customs to so purchase it. After an appraisal of the property, consisting of steam cranes, locomotives, cars, railroad tracks, and other machinery and appliances, the purchase was consummated by the Philippine Commission in Act No. 897, passed September 23, 1903, which appropriated 129,000 for the purpose, and also 110,000 additional for placing the system in operation. The receipts for the service were made a permanent appropriation to pay its expenses, the intention being to make the charge merely sufficient to cover the cost of operation. The collector of customs was authorized by the same act to operate, maintain, and administer the arrastre system, and to fix and collect charges for the service. In accordance therewith regulations for the organization, government, and operation of the arrastre service were issued. In the main the personnel employed by the former owners was retained, but reorganized and placed under custom-house administration. An office and clerical force were established and provisions made for collecting a charge for all the merchandise handled in the custom-house. On October 16, 1903, the custom-house assumed control of the arrastre. In the absence of data and experience upon which to fix the rate for the charge, other than that furnished by the former owners, the same rate as charged by them was continued as a tentative measure, 1.50 per ton. The charge of 50 centavos per ton on all merchandise permitted to take delivery in bulk without discharging on the custom-house wharf, known as "pasé delivery," was immediately discontinued, saving to the importers about 137,000 a year. In a month's time it was found that the handling of the merchandise stored upon and delivered from the wharf, instead of the warehouses, could be done at less cost, and the rate for wharf delivery was lowered to 11 per ton, effecting a saving of about 18,300 a year to the importers. They have been encouraged to take wharf deliveries as not only a saving of expense but a saving of time, and every facility possible has been given them which would effect an economy and do away with bad conditions which had hampered the incoming commerce of Manila. The great majority of importers have appreciated, and cooperated with, these betterments of service, and have been led to institute better business methods of their own, effecting further savings which can not well be estimated, but which do exist. ADDITIONAL SERVICE GIVEN. Although the arrastre rate was retained at P1.50 per ton, much additional service was at once given for the one charge. Previous to the assumption of the arrastre by the custom-house the service consisted of the conveyance of the merchandise from the custom-house wharf to the warehouses and the storing therein. It ended at that point. The merchandise had been stored more or less indiscriminately, neither a ship's cargo nor individual consignments being kept together, but scattered through two, three, or more warehouses. When delivery was desired, the consignee would go into a warehouse with his cooly laborers, and after vexatious search and much work of piling and repiling boxes would get his goods together, carry them out of the warehouse, and put them on his carts. The consignee was also required to carry the samples selected for examination and appraisal from the warehouses to the appraiser's stores, and also to furnish the laborers for the opening of cases and the unpacking and repacking of the contents. All this work was taken over by the new arrastre division of the custom-house, the service to be included in the charge of 11.50 per ton. The storing of merchandise was at once systematized by each ship's cargo being kept together in a warehouse and by each individual consignment being piled together. This did away with one of the bad conditions that existed at the port of Manila, of sorting cargoes on board incoming steamers, delaying their departure and causing great demurrage. When delivery is desired, the arrastre laborers now take the merchandise out of the warehouse, delivering it to the consignee's carts. Arrastre laborers also carry the sample cases to the appraiser's stores and perform all labor required therein, consisting of the handling of the cases for examination and appraisal, the unpacking and repacking, and delivery outside the stores to the consignee. Not only has this reform kept all coolies (except customs employees) and other unauthorized persons out of the warehouses and appraiser's stores, but it has effected another considerable saving to importers estimated at about 141,000 a year. NO DELAY AT WHARF. By improvements to the plant, adding new facilities and changing methods, a quicker handling of the merchandise has been secured, by reason of which lighters are now discharged one-third or more quicker at the wharf. This enables the lighters to return to the bay for further cargo, and a consequent faster discharge of the incoming steamships, whereby they are enabled to save demurrage. It has done away with the former complaint that there were not enough closed lighters to do the business of the port. It has aided materially in correcting the evils which surrounded shipping and commerce coming to Manila. Loaded lighters are discharged at the wharf in the order in which they arrive. Thus there is absolutely no discrimination in discharging. Perishable articles, like vegetables, etc., are given a preference, but otherwise without interfering with the order of discharge. IMPROVEMENTS IN WAREHOUSING. When the arrastre plant was acquired the merchandise was conveyed into the warehouses from the wharf by running the loaded tramway flat cars into each warehouse on a single track. As the empty cars had to be taken out through the same doorway, which also served as the egress of the coolies taking out merchandise for delivery, much difficulty and confusion was experienced, frequent blockades being caused, which delayed the work of the whole service, being felt on the wharf as well. This bad condition has been remedied by taking up the tracks into the warehouses, replacing them with broad runways, constructing receiving platforms outside next to the main track on the one side and delivery platforms at other doors on the other side and handling the cases of merchandise by hand trucks. The blockades have been prevented and much confusion done away with. Fewer laborers are required-a considerable saving of expense. The better facilities have |