Report of the governor general of the Philippine Islands. [1916]

250 REPORT OF THE PHILIPPINE COMMISSION.

Due to the continued lack of constabulary it has been necessary
for some of the provincial governments to maintain mounted or
special police, as stated in the report for 1914. The maintenance
of such forces is not a proper charge against provincial revenues,
but it is obviously unavoidable in such cases as that of the Province
of Zamboanga, for which the total constabulary force available is still
limited to one company of 48 men.
The organization of municipal police for duty in municipal districts and the improvement of the police in organized municipalities
have received due attention and progress has been made during the
year. These activities are coordinated with-or under the immediate
supervision of the constabulary.
The increase of four companies which has been made in the constabulary organizations assigned to duty in this department and the
further increase of three companies announced for early in 1916 will
greatly increase the efficiency of government in Mindanao-Sulu and
permit the more urgent extensions of control in hitherto unoccupied
districts. Further increases, however, of company organizations and
of land and water transportation must be made if the territory of this
department is to be brought within a definite period on to a basis
of administrative control similar to that obtaining in the remainder
of the archipelago.
United S.tates troops in Mindanao-Sulu, except individual members of the service and staff corps, consist of Philippine Scouts only.
Of these, eight battalions are stationed as post garrisons, as follows:
Camp Overton (1) and Camp Keithley (2) in Lanao; Ludlow Barracks (2) at Parang, Cotabato; Augur Barracks (2) at Jolo, Sulu;
and Pettit Barracks (1) at Zamboanga.
Except for the field work during a brief period of the garrison at
Camp Keithley in pursuit of its deserters, the Army has not had
occasion to participate in the maintenance of public order during the
year. Capt. Allen S. Fletcher, of the scouts, who had continued on
special duty with the civil establishment and acted as deputy of the
provincial governor of the district lying to the eastward of Lake
Lanao, was relieved on December 31, 1915, to enable him to comply
with orders of the commanding general to resume his military duties.
The enlisted man of the Army Hospital Corps who had been on
special duty in dispensary and public-health work in the district under Deputy Governor Fletcher's jurisdiction was also relieved to resume his military duties. There remains now on civil duty no commissioned officer and but one enlisted man of the Army-the corporal
of the Hospital Corps on dispensary and public-health work in the
Cotabato River Valley. The department government appreciates
highly the courtesy of the commanding general in permitting the
continuance of Capt. Fletcher and these men on civil duties. They
have rendered service of great value in the organization and establishment of the present government under the most trying conditions,
involving privations and frequently great personal danger.
The commanding general, post commanders-in fact, the military
establishment in general-have extended innumerable courtesies and
offers of material assistance to the department government and its
subdivisions. The great assistance extended by the Army in the
maintenance of the Overton-Keithley road which is so essential to