Report of the governor general of the Philippine Islands. [1908]

REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF COMMERCE AND POLICE. 357

the United States. The revenues obtained from fares amounted to
P6,084. In addition to this revenue the service saved P675 in mail
transportation. It was demonstrated that the service could be made
a paying investment, besides bringing Baguio within easy reach of
Manila. Five Stanley mountain wagons, capable of carrying 7 passengers each, have been ordered, and will be put on this run in
December, and thereafter automobile service throughout the year will
be rendered.
MONEY ORDERS.
The number of money-order offices increased from 63 at the beginning of the fiscal year to 68 at the close. The number of orders
issued increased from 98,813 in 1907 to 107,751 in 1908. The amount
of the orders issued increased from $3,229,446.09 to $3,645,123.13.
The average amount of each order issued rose from $32.69 in 1907 to
$33.83 in 1908.
The increase in the number of orders issued amounts to over 9 per
cent, while the increase in the total money value is about 13 per cent.
This is significant owing to the fact that during the fiscal year 1907
a decrease of 12 per cent was noted in the value of the orders issued,
as compared with 1906.
TELEGRAPH DIVISION.
The number of kilometers of insular telegraph lines on June 30,
1908, was 4,898; of telephone lines, 3,468.8, and of cables, 2,176.
In accordance with the resolution of the Philippine Commission,
adopted March 20 and effective October 4, 1907, 31 telegraph offices
and 3,389.32 kilometers of telegraph and cable lines were transferred during the year to the bureau of posts by the United States
Signal Corps, thus completing the transaction begun over a year ago.
The details of this agreement were set forth in the last annual report
of the secretary of commerce and police. The total length of the
insular telephone, telegraph, and cable lines at the close of the fiscal
year was 10,542 kilometers (6,546.58 miles), as compared with 7,153
kilometers (4,442 miles) at the close of 1907, an increase of 47.4 per
cent.
It is anticipated that the cables laid throughout the islands by the
military authorities and transferred to this bureau will cause considerable trouble, as the type was intended for temporary use only,
and most of the cable has already deteriorated. In January the cable
between Malabang and Zamboanga became interrupted. It was
found that 40 miles of deep-sea cable would be necessary, so the
repairs had to be abandoned. In order to restore telegraphic communication between Malabang and Zamboanga parts for a 3-kilowatt
wireless station are to be manufactured and installed by the United
States Signal Corps at Malabang. The bureau of posts will reimburse the military for all expenses incurred and will thus be able to
comunicate with Zamboanga, where the Signal Corps already have a
wireless station.
TELEPHONES.
The question of provincial telephones has been a serious one on account of the difficulty of exercising proper supervision from Manila.
A new system has been in effect since July 1, 1908, by which all ex