TELEGRAPH AND CABLE SYSTEM.

The Signal Corps now operates 115 miles of military land lines, 9.6 miles of cable, and 24 offices. During the year the cable ship Liscum was engaged sixty-one days and ten hours in the repair and inspection of military cables, and subsequent to the completion of the transfer was employed thirty-seven days and fifteen hours in repairing insular government cables. On July 25, 1907, a cable was laid between Grande Island and Olongapo, and a telegraph office opened at the former station. Another cable was laid in Subic Bay between Grande Island and Macmanys Point on September 28, 1907, the combined length of these two cables being 9.6 statute miles. The interruptions to the Carigara-Catbalogan and the Capiz-Milagros cables were repaired by the cable crew of the Liscum, using for this purpose a launch and lighter. The cable ship has been in drydock since March 22, 1908, but will be available by the beginning of the next fiscal year.

From June 1, 1907, to May 31, 1908, the following messages were sent: Official business, 51.488; commercial business, 21,264; civil government business, 7,365; relayed, 226,604.

TELEPHONE SYSTEMS.

Owing to the temporary nature of most of the garrisons in the Philippine Islands, the various post telephone systems installed were temporary in character, and they now require extensive rehabilitation. The systems at Iloilo, Jolo, and Zamboanga have already been entirely reconstructed, following standard practice. The installation at Parang, Mindanao, is in course of reconstruction, and a system will soon be installed at Camp Keithley, Mindanao. The telegraph line between Cotabato and Fort Pikit, Mindanao, is being converted into a metallic-circuit telephone line, and the grounded telephone circuit between Camp Overton and Camp Keithley is being changed into a metallic one.

The military telephone system in Manila has been maintained. throughout the year with an average of 75 instruments connected to the exchange, the number of calls averaging 2.2 per day per instrument. The telephone exchange at Fort William McKinley is connected with Manila by two metallic trunk lines, one going to the military central and the other to the commercial exchange, giving the military system at Fort William McKinley the advantage of commercial service in the city of Manila.

WIRELESS TELEGRAPHY.

The improvised station at the Cuartel de Infanteria was equipped as a regular station during the year, the transformer and various other parts of the apparatus having been manufactured in the signal corps shops, and the power for its operation obtained from the city lighting mains. This station has been utilized for training operators and communicating with Cavite and vessels and transports having wireless equipment. Four field wireless pack sets were sent to the Philippines for instruction purposes, and one of these sets was temporarily installed on the cable ship Liscum.

A wagon wireless set, received in the islands during March, 1908, was shipped to Malabang, Mindanao, and a temporary station was established to furnish communication with Zamboanga, the insular government cable between these points having been interrupted. This station is in successful operation, but transmits messages for the military establishment only, this limitation being necessarily placed on it on account of the fact that continued use of the apparatus might cause a breakdown, and there are no spare parts or opportunity for making repairs at such a distant station.

ENLISTED MEN.

The health, performance of duty, and discipline of this command have been satisfactory, there being only 1 trial by general court-martial and 18 by summary court. The strength of the corps in the Philippines has varied from 211 men at the beginning of the fiscal year to 139 at the end. Ninety-seven men have been discharged in the islands, 25 of whom reenlisted; 28 were obtained by transfer from the line and 91 by transfer from the United States.

One hundred and sixteen men have been returned to the United States during the year-44 for duty, 2 for medical treatment, and 70 for discharge, while 1 man died. Of the 139 men in the islands at the end of this fiscal year, three out of every four have been there less than one year.

CUBA.

TELEPHONE SYSTEMS.

The telephone system, operating three switchboards and about 100 telephones in Marianao, Camp Columbia, and Habana, has given efficient service throughout the year. There are two trunk lines, metallic, between the Marianao and Habana boards, and one trunk line between the Columbia and Habana boards. The Habana board is connected by trunks to the central of the Red Telefonica, which is the commercial telephone company of Habana, and to the central of the Cuban government telephone system. All connections are exchanged with these systems without charge or accounting of any kind. The trunk lines above described were rebuilt by the Signal Corps, most of the material being furnished by the Cuban Government, during the months of February and March, 1908, and are at this time in most excellent condition.

Target range telephone installations were in use at each post where troops were stationed in the island of Cuba, and so far as known they rendered all the assistance in connection with target practice that was required or desired.

The following posts are equipped with telephone installations for the transaction of their local business: Camaguey, Cardenas, Cienfuegos, Constancia, Holguin, Matanzas, Pinar del Rio, Placetas, Sagua la Grande, Santiago de Cuba, and Santo Domingo.

GUANTANAMO BAY INSTALLATION.

During the months of August and September the Signal Corps constructed at Guantanamo Bay a system of land lines and cables

connecting the following places: Cuban government telegraph station at Caimanera, naval wireless telegraph station, headquarters Guantanamo Navy-Yard, station ship Monongahela, Hospital Cay coaling station, navy target range at Deer Point, army reservation at Fisherman Point, light-house at Windward Point, and the battery at Conde Bluff. Owing to the temporary abandonment of that vicinity by the army, this installation has been turned over temporarily to the navy. While putting in this installation at Guantanamo Bay, the Signal Corps detachment assisted the navy by installing its target range telephone system at Deer Point.

TELEGRAPHS.

Practically all of the land telegraph lines in the island of Cuba belong to the system operated by the Cuban Government under the director general of communications. This is the same system which was reconstructed and extended by the Signal Corps during the intervention beginning in 1898.

The Cuban government telegraph lines have given quite efficient service during the past year. There have been a good many interruptions on some of the lines, but they have been repaired very promptly. The excessive amount of rain at some seasons has made certain of the lines work very badly at times, necessitating the relaying of business at intermediate stations. At the beginning of the year signal corps operators were stationed at the following places: Caimanera, Camaguey, Camp Columbia, Ciego de Avila, Habana, Holguin, Marianao, Matanzas, Santa Clara, Santiago, Santo Domingo, Pinar del Rio, and Fisherman Point. Owing to reduction in the strength of the signal corps company, operators were withdrawn on April 27, 1908, from Matanzas and Holguin. Upon business connected with the administration of the Army of Cuban Pacification, 97,840 messages were handled during the year by signal corps operators.

CUBAN GOVERNMENT WIRELESS SYSTEM.

Pursuant to directions of the commanding general, Army of Cuban Pacification, the chief signal officer of that army acted during the past year as adviser to the department of communications in connection with the installation of a system of wireless telegraph stations being installed by the Cuban Government throughout the island under contract. The following stations have been completed, inspected by the chief signal officer, Army of Cuban Pacification, and accepted by the Cuban Government: Pinar del Rio, 2 kilowatt; Santa Clara, 5 kilowatt; Morro Castle, Habana, 10 kilowatt. In addition to these there is a 2 kilowatt station at Nueva Gerona, Isle of Pines. Three stations are under construction, namely, Camaguey, 5 kilowatt; Santiago de Cuba, 10 kilowatt; and Baracoa, 5 kilowatt.

UNITED STATES.

In addition to fire-control installations for coast defenses, military aeronautics, and electrical and other important experimental work, operations of the Signal Corps in the United States cover the management of military telegraph lines and establishment of post tele

phone systems, the supplying of signal equipment to the army and the organized militia, the provision of fire-control and fire-direction systems for the field artillery, the enlisting and training of recruits in visual, electrical, and telephone work, and active and suitable preparations to bring the corps to a state of efficiency and preparedness for war or other emergency.

SIGNAL CORPS POSTS.

Three posts, garrisoned exclusively by signal corps troops, were maintained during the year at Fort Wood, N. Y.; Fort Omaha, Nebr., and Benicia, Cal. A school of instruction for enlisted men, and a general depot of signal corps supplies and property have been maintained at each post. The post at Benicia Barracks was abandoned April 30, 1908, the storehouse being moved to Fort Mason, Cal., and the signal corps troops to the Presidio. The depots being located in the extreme eastern, middle west, and extreme western parts of the United States have proved very useful in the prompt distribution of signal-corps supplies.

During the year a first class 3-kilowatt wireless station was installed at the Fort Omaha post, and the construction of a large balloon house and hydrogen gas plant commenced. Upon the completion of the Omaha balloon plant during the present year, that post will become the principal aeronautical station of the Signal Corps. The completed gas-generating plant will permit the shipment of compressed hydrogen gas and enable the Signal Corps to engage in aeronautical work in the middle west, an undertaking which has heretofore been impossible due to lack of facilities for obtaining or transporting the proper supply of gas.

At the Fort Wood post special attention is paid to the training of men for duty in connection with fire-control work and submarine cables. This post is the home station of the cable boat Cyrus W. Field, which is constantly engaged in the installation and repair of submarine cables connected with the artillery fire-control systems of the Atlantic coast.

ARMY SIGNAL SCHOOL.

During the year satisfactory reports have been received from the Army Signal School at Fort Leavenworth. Although the fundamental object of the institution is to train officers for the varied technical duties of the Signal Corps and to make research into all matters pertaining to military signaling, special attention is paid to the development of apparatus and organization necessary in the field duties of signal troops with the mobile army in the field.

The course of instruction is very practical, with only enough theory "to do the thing practically." The school includes a well equipped laboratory or workshop wherein much practical work is performed by the student officers during the winter months.

A field company of the Signal Corps properly organized and well equipped for field service is on duty with the school and has rendered excellent service in the maneuver problems and field exercises of the school. The field work of the school has developed valuable data relative to improvements in field equipment and done much to coordinate and systematize the field duties of signal troops.

SIGNALING AT WEST POINT.

Between March 30, 1908, and May 30, 1908, a detachment of 10 enlisted men were on duty at West Point where it gave demonstrations in the installation and operation of field lines, and assisted in the instruction of the cadets and enlisted men in electrical field signaling.

Concerning this duty, the acting superintendent stated on May 13,

1908:

The value of the instruction given by this detachment can not be overestimated. It is felt here that the importance of this branch of art and science of war justifies a larger place in the curriculum.

FIRE-CONTROL EQUIPMENT FOR FIELD ARTILLERY.

Probably no branch of the mobile army has a greater need for efficient electrical signaling equipment than the field artillery, due to the increasing use of indirect fire and the necessity for complete control for fire and direction when a number of batteries are operating together. Based on the plans outlined by the field-artillery board at Fort Riley, the Signal Corps now issues a standard fire-control equipment for batteries, battalions, and regiments of the field artillery.

During the year a new type of telephone, specially adapted to the needs of field artillery, has been devised and is now issued. The standard equipment has been issued to 32 batteries, 12 battalions, and 6 regimental organizations, and has given satisfactory results. During the year $11,000 has been expended on field artillery firecontrol equipment.

MILITARY DEPARTMENTS.

Under paragraph 1580, Army Regulations, department commanders are required to supplement the operations of the Signal Corps by such instruction in visual military signaling as they deem necessary for the public service. The instruction in the line of the army contemplates that each troop, battery, and company commander shall have at all times at least two available enlisted men able to exchange messages in the army and navy code at short distances by flag. As an aid thereto the Signal Corps distributes direct to each army organization a visual signaling outfit, consisting of two field glasses and two flag kits. About 75 per cent of the army has been equipped. The duties of signal officers at interior posts are now confined to only the necessary administrative work in connection with the maintenance of post telephone systems and telegraph lines.

Of the 9 departments in the United States it has been possible to supply only 5 throughout the year with a chief signal officer, viz, East, Gulf, Missouri, California, and Columbia. The duties of chief signal officer in the 4 other departments, viz, Lakes, Dakotas, Texas, and Colorado, were performed during the year by officers of the line of the army detailed as aids to department commanders.

The departments in which fire-control installations are in progress have been supplied with an officer of the Signal Corps as signal officer.