EEPORT OF FORESTRY BUREAU, PHILIPPINE ISLANDS. 



ered more useful in inaugurating this work than any official obtained 

 from other countries. A number of these officials presented them- 

 selves, with their credentials, which consisted usually of diplomas from 

 the Agricultural College of Manila, and a detailed history of their 

 former service. None but natives presented themselves, the Spanish 

 foresters having returned to Spain, thus leaving the islands without a 

 single highly trained forester. The post-office addresses of 14 native 

 foresters and 30 rangers were taken for future reference, and these 

 men were called upon as the service required. Authority was received 

 to emplo} 7 4 foresters, 2 rangers, a stenographer, and a translator; 

 the foresters at $100 and rangers at $50 Mexican per month. 



Under Spanish administration a force of 66 expert foresters and 64 

 rangers, with 40 other subordinates as clerks, draftsmen, etc., formed 

 the personnel of the forestry service. 



The headquarters for the service was established in the old Inten- 

 dencia building, in Manila, where the archives of the former forestry 

 service were gathered together. For the first few weeks the small 

 force employed was engaged in arranging these archives for future 

 reference. The translator was emplo3 T ed in the translation of the 

 former Spanish forestry regulations and public-land law in force at 

 the time of the American occupation. A careful investigation of these 

 archives failed to discover any plans of exploitation, statistics of stand- 

 ing timber, or forest surveys. These records consisted principally of 

 applications for licenses, memoranda of revenues, private woodland 

 registrations, and the ordinary official correspondence of the bureau. 

 Upon inquiry of the former forestry officials it was learned that no 

 plans of exploitation and no statistics of standing timber had been 

 made. The forest zones had not been surveyed and reserved, as the 

 . last Spanish land law of 1893 had contemplated. 



In the course of a few months, authority was given to increase the 

 force employed. As competent men presented themselves, and as con- 

 ditions permitted, stations were established in the provinces. A for- 

 estry service had been partially organized by the insurgents, and this 

 fact made it more difficult to obtain a sufficient force of competent 

 men. On October 12 an act of the United States Philippine Civil 

 Commission prescribed the following personnel: One officer in charge; 



1 inspector, at $150 gold per month; 1 chief clerk, at $100 gold per 

 month; 1 botanist, at $100 gold per month; 1 translator, at $100 gold 

 per month; 1 law clerk, at $75 gold per month; 1 record clerk, at $75 

 gold per month; 10 assistant foresters, at $50 gold per month; 30 

 rangers, at $25 gold per month. Later in the year authority was 

 received to employ 2 foresters from the United States, at a salary of 

 $200 gold per month. A further addition to the force is contemplated 

 which will add 4 foresters, at $200 per month; 4 inspectors, at $150 per 

 month; 20 rangers, at $25, and 2 clerks, at $50 per month. 



Owing to the disturbed conditions in the provinces, a disposition 

 was shown by the native officials to avoid service beyond Manila. 



These men stated that they would be in considerable danger of vio- 

 lence from insurgents, as their work very often took them from the 

 vicinity of United States troops. As a matter of fact, two rangers 

 disappeared, one of whom reappeared after a month's time and claimed 

 that he had been captured by the insurgents and had bought his free- 

 dom. The other disappeared in February of this year and has not 

 been heard of since. At times the native officials would receive threat- 



