was begun during the summer of 1914. Nine patent surveys have been made this season. The total number of timber sales made on the Tongass and Chugach National Forests during the fiscal year was 305. All persons living on or near the national forests of Alaska are permitted to take free of charge all wood they need for their own domestic purposes. Timber needed by prospectors in the actual development of their claims prior to reaching the shipping stage, is given free of charge. A considerable area of lands within the Chugach Reserve was recently eliminated by Executive order. Forest fires in the Chugach Reserve and in interior Alaska during the past summer caused considerable damage to standing timber, and efforts should be made to minimize the fire danger during the dry months of the summer season by the maintenance of efficient fire patrols.

Water power. The utilization of the water power of Alaska is of far-reaching import to the people of the Territory and also of the Nation. The Pacific coast of Alaska has many undeveloped waterpower sites, many of them ideal in location and with few natural obstacles in the way to make them readily available by a comparatively moderate outlay of capital. This water power makes possible the development of the vast low-grade quartz deposits of southeastern Alaska. But few of Alaska's streams have been harnessed for power purposes, although one large project has been completed and another is in course of development. The forests of southeastern and southwestern Alaska, and especially the former, contain vast areas of timber suitable only for the manufacture of wood pulp. The forest is a virgin one, and millions of feet of timber are annually going to waste because the wood-pulp manufacturers under the conditions caused by uncertainty of title, multiplicity of red tape, and the profusion of regulations and restrictions that have existed have been scared out of the Territory. The importance of the bill now pending in Congress, as applied to industrial development in Alaska, can not be overestimated. As soon as some definite assurance of title for a term of years, coupled with reasonable regulations, can be obtained more of these water-power sites will be developed and the power utilized in the manufacture of wood pulp and electrochemical products. Secretary of the Territory. The offices of surveyor general and secretary of Alaska have been combined ever since the creation of the latter office by Congress, although no provision for its maintenance has ever been made. These offices should be segregated and an annual appropriation made for the proper maintenance of the office of secretary of Alaska. The work attached to the office has steadily increased in recent years. The Territorial legislature at its session this year created the office of attorney general for Alaska and also

the office of assistant superintendent of public instruction, both of which were made elective.

Buildings. In 1910 Congress authorized the erection of a public building at Juneau, to cost, with site, $200,000. An excellent site was purchased costing $22,500. Since that time the town of Juneau has been growing rapidly, and the population of southeastern Alaska, where the capitol is located, has increased and is increasing in a substantial manner. Therefore an additional appropriation for a building should be made. This appropriation should not be less than $350,000 in addition to the sum already available. The building should be large enough for the housing of the various Federal offices located in Juneau-eight in number-the Territorial legislature, and the Historical Library and Museum.

Coal areas. Surveys of the coal areas in Alaska, in the Bering River, Matanuska, and Nenana regions, together with classifications of the coal lands and reconnoissances of certain areas for reservation for the use of the Government, as provided by act of Congress, were begun during the past summer. Tests of the Matanuska coal for steaming purposes were made during the year under the direction of the Navy Department, and the coal was found eminently satisfactory. The coal now consumed in the Territory continues to be imported, a considerable portion of which comes from British Columbia. A decrease in the consumption of coal is noted, due to the greatly increased use of fuel oil in the Territory. Three patents of coal lands were issued during the fiscal year. The importation of coal into Alaska from the States and from foreign countries during the last fiscal year amounted to 79,239 tons, valued at $397,290. Of this 32,927 tons, valued at $141,480, was foreign coal, and 46,312 tons domestic, valued at $255,810.

Minerals. The value of gold production of Alaska for the calendar year 1914 was $15,764,259, an increase of about $140,000 over that of the previous year. In 1914, 21,450,628 pounds of copper were produced in Alaska, as compared with 21,659,958 pounds in 1913. The value of Alaska's total mineral production for 1914 was $19,118,080; that of 1913 was valued at $19,476,356. This decrease was due to the low price of copper in 1914. It is estimated that up to the close of 1914 Alaska's production of minerals totaled in value $268,150,000, of which $244,156,000 represents the value of the gold output. For the present year the mineral production of Alaska will show a large gain over the previous year, due principally to the greatly increased production of copper in the Copper River district, southeastern Alaska; an increase in gold production will also be shown both from placer and lode sources. Generally speaking, the past summer has been favorable for placer mining operations. The

water supply has been abundant in most districts and considerable new ground has been worked this year. New discoveries have been reported in the Tolovana district, on Wild River, in the Koyukuk and Kuskokwin River regions. The older placer mines of the Territory continue to yield considerable quantities of gold, although the output is much less than the years immediately following their discovery. In copper production Alaska is steadily forging to the front; the output of this metal alone for the present calendar year, it is estimated, will reach in value $20,000,000. The low-grade placer deposits are very extensive in interior and northwestern Alaska, the development of which awaits cheaper transportation facilities and cheaper power. Mining began in Alaska in 1880, and since that time the Territory has produced $244,156,000 in gold, $19,800,000 in copper, $2,251,000 in silver, $370,000 in coal, and the rest in tin, lead, quicksilver, marble, gypsum, petroleum, etc. Copper mining began in Alaska in 1901, and the total production is about 133,000,000 pounds. The certainty of railroad communication with the Yukon Basin has greatly stimulated prospecting, mining, and agricultural development. There is a noticeable increase in investigations by large mining enterprises, as compared with previous years, and this is solely due to the expectation of cheaper transportation. Lode mining in southeastern Alaska, where several large mines are now in operation, is annually attaining greater proportions, due to the success that has been achieved in the treatment of low-grade ores, such as are found in this section. For the first time in the history of Alaska antimony in commercial quantities has been shipped during the present season from interior and northwestern Alaska. The total production of Alaska tin mines since the industry started in 1902 is about 550 tons of metallic tin, valued at $380,006. Two copper mines and five lode mines were operated in the Prince William Sound region in 1914. This number has been increased during the present year, and the output of both copper and gold will greatly exceed the output of the previous year. It is estimated that 125 placer mines, employing 1,200 men, were operated in the Fairbanks district during the summer of 1914. Thirty-nine gold dredges were operated on Seward Peninsula for the whole or part of the open season of 1914. A similar number has been operated the present year. About 1,200 men were engaged in mining on the peninsula in 1915, of which 450 were employed on the dredges. A number of locations of potential iron mines were made in 1914 about 25 miles northwest of Nome, but at only one locality is a considerable body of iron ore apparent. The prospecting work done so far shows only the area of the deposit and not its depth.

The office of the governor of Alaska would have been literally swamped with work for the past two years had it not been for the

action of the territorial legislature in making an annual appropriation for clerk hire in that office, Congress having failed to do so, although yearly requests have been made for additional clerical and stenographic assistance.

HAWAII.

The governor of Hawaii in his annual report stated that the year ending June 30, 1915, has been one of unusual prosperity in the main industry of the islands, sugar growing, not only in the increase in quantity produced but in financial returns. Their second exportable staple, canned pineapples, increased in production and gross value, but individual growers of pines suffered greatly from the collapse of prices to a point below cost. Other products are limited and no exceptional changes took place. How generally the notable prosperity of the Territory has been diffused can hardly be calculated. Evidence of general prosperity appears in the improvements throughout the Territory, particularly in the great number of attractive, artistic, unpretentious homes being erected. No discontent among labor has been apparent. The legislature, session of 1915, has made reasonable appropriations that will increase employment and provide for many necessary improvements.

Imports and exports.-The imports for the fiscal year amounted to $26,064,855, a decrease, as compared with the previous year, of $9,485,402. The exports amounted to $62,388,356, the exports of sugar amounting to $19,758,187, and of pineapples to $1,257,604, and the increase over the preceding year being $20,774,284.

Customs and internal-revenue receipts.-Customs receipts for the fiscal year totaled $1,019,534.63, a falling off of $164,881.49. Internal-revenue receipts yielded $419.057.39, an increase over the previous year of $186,082.96.

Receipts and disbursements.-The Territory still collects and pays over to the city and county of Honolulu and the counties the greater part of their revenues, and in turn receives back from them the cost of assessing and collecting taxes and the interest and sinking fund on bonds issued by the Territory for the benefit of the counties. Territorial finances.-The assessment of property increased $15,413,996 over the year 1914 making a total of $176,601,222. This illustrates the working of the Hawaiian law, making certain taxable valuations subject to their basis as enterprises for profit. Nineteen hundred and twelve was a prosperous year and valuations totaled $176,834,801; 1914 was less prosperous and valuations fell to $161,187,226; while 1915 shows the rise again. The total revenues collected by the Territory and counties aggregated $4,691,831.81, an increase of $380,100.41 over the year 1914. Of the above income 8161°-INT 1915-VOL 1-8

$2,557,675.73 was by law set aside for the county governments and $2,134,156.08 remained for Territorial expenditure. Out of the $3,162,148.16 available for the Territory from current revenues, including cash on hand, $2,747,270.35 was expended, leaving a net cash balance on hand at the close of the year of $414,877.81. The bonded indebtedness of the Territory was increased during the year by the sale of $1,179,500 of 4 per cent public improvement bonds of the issue of 1914 at 100.01 and decreased by the payment of $150,000 of the 1903 issue of 4 per cent public-improvement bonds, leaving a bonded indebtedness of $7,873,500 at the close of the year.

Bank deposits.-Bank deposits at the close of the calendar year were $20,114,610.85, of which $7,736,569.32 were savings deposits. The increase of commercial deposits was $2,006,166.93 and of savings $1,460,778.69.

Corporations. During the fiscal year 25 mercantile, 4 agricultural, 2 savings and loan, 1 insurance, and 8 eleemosynary corporations 40 in all-were created; and 8 mercantile, 2 agricultural, and 1 eleemosynary corporations were dissolved-11 in all-leaving at the close of the year 935 domestic corporations-an increase of 29. The total capitalization of domestic corporations other than eleemosynary, etc., is $175,086,293, a decrease of $543,400, or 0.3 per cent for the year. Foreign corporations to the number of 152, as compared with 149 the preceding year, are authorized to do business in the Territory. Five national banks also do business in the Territory. Prior to the 1915 session of the legislature there was nothing that could be done to wipe defunct corporations off the books. Act 57, laws of 1915, gives the treasurer this authority and he is actively engaged in this work. The corporations that are positively known to be dead are capitalized at $22,637,900.

Population and its problems.—The estimated population June 30, 1915, was 223,256 civilians, 9,600 Army and Navy, total 232,856. Orientals predominate, totaling 136,626. In births orientals predominate far in excess of the average. Native full-blood Hawaiians continue to decrease. The total number of births during the year was 8,507, an increase of 1,751 over the number for the previous year, showing a birth rate of 36.52 per thousand, estimating the population at 232,856. The total number of deaths from all causes was 3,556, a decrease of 151 from the previous year, showing a death rate of 15.03 per thousand on the same estimated population. The marriages number 2,730, a decrease of 419.

Public health.-The Territorial department of public health does most of the public-health work, although some is done by the local governments, and much assistance is given by various corporations, organizations, and individuals, financially and in other ways. The officials of the United States Public Health Service and the Terri