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from Vigan for the Badoc-Currimao line, escorted by 17 men of Company C, Twelfth Infantry, Sergt. Warren Billman, Company F, Signal Corps, was killed in ambush by the insurgents July 21; all supplies were captured. Also Private William B. McElhager, Company F, repairman at San Isidro, while on the road to Capan on repair work, was reported captured by insurgents July 14."

The large amount of repairs necessary during the month reduced the quantity of new construction and rebuilding on a permanent basis.

Captain Russel reports for southern Luzon: “Lieutenant Kennedy and party having completed communication between Guinayangan and Lucena, via Lopez and Atimonan, the first message came through from Nueva Caceres on July 10. Ân office was opened at Lopez on July 14, this being necessary as a repair and testing point. "The line between Taguig and Muntinlupa, consisting of No. 14 wire, became so rusted as to be impossible to keep up. Lieutenant Kennedy, with party of 4 men and 6 natives, constructed a strong pole line between these points with No. 9 wire; 10 of the 12 miles were completed by the end of the month.

"On the 1st of July Lieutenant Wheat reached Sariaya and took charge of pushing the line through from that point to Tayabas, a distance of about 8 miles. The hasty field line was replaced by a strong pole line, making good telegraphic connection between Tayabas and Calamba. He energetically reorganized affairs there, both as to reconstruction of lines and installation of offices. A good chief operator, Sergeant Lacy, was sent to take charge of Tayabas office. Since that time the service with Tayabas has been very satisfactory."

Reports from the Camarines show a rather discouraging state of affairs regarding extensions of lines in Albay Province. It is believed much time will elapse before it will be practicable to build and maintain lines north of Legaspi.

Captain Carr reports for northern Luzon: "Lieutenant Duffy and detachment com pleted the San Fernando-La Trinidad branch July 11. Lieutenant Lenoir's party connected Pozorrubio telegraphically with Alava, 6 miles, and San Manuel with San Nicholas, 8 miles; also changed 3 miles of line on the Bautista-Cabanatuan branch east of Rosales, from through the woods to along the road. This section has practically been rebuilt during July from Bautista to San Jose, distance 80 miles. His party moved offices at the following stations: Tarlac, Bamban, Moncada, Paniqui, and Gerona, from railway to commanding officers' quarters. Total new work, 384 miles."

First Lieutenant Wildman reports for the Visayan Islands:

Panay: "The country has been reconnoitered with the object of establishing communication between North and South Panay by way of Ajui and Banate. This line will be entirely impracticable unless more troops are stationed in that vicinity. As it stands now, Capiz is in communication with Sara, Ajui, Dumarao, Dao, Mambusao, but connection with the south half is entirely interrupted by reason of the inability of the troops to protect the line between Pototan and Dumarao."

On Cebu, 34 miles of line have been put in, ending at Sambuan, which is the Cebu heliograph station for Dumaguete. Lieutenant Davies is now back in Cebu preparing to build a line from Sambuan to Alegria, 15 miles, and from Dumanjuc to Balamban, 45 miles on the west coast.

On the island of Negros, Lieutenant Clifton is building a line from Dumaguete to Amblan, which is nearly finished. On Bohol the line has been extended to Jagna, and on Leyte from Palo to Tanauan and Dagami.

During the month several new offices were opened, memorandum of same being attached. An office being desired at Zapote Bridge, a modified "Rysselberghe system of two telephones, one at telegraph office Los Pinas, the other at Zapote Bridge, was superposed on the telegraph line. The system has given complete satisfaction. Reports rendered give the following not previously included:

Corpl. Charles E. Russell and Sergt. Philip J. Golden are especially mentioned in the Visayan Department for creditable work, while the chief signal officer, Department of Southern Luzon, in addition to specially commending First-Class Private Howe as being out repairing several times under circumstances of the greatest danger, includes the following in his report:

"On July 18 Corporal James, lineman at Santa Cruz, went out with a detachment repairing near Magdalena. He had with him a field telephone. The detachment was attacked by a much larger force of insurgents in ambush. The sound of the firing brought troops from the south. At this time Corporal James attached his field telephone and got word to the commanding officer at Santa Cruz, he in turn telephoning to Pagsanjan. This brought out a cavalry detachment promptly, who fell upon the retreating insurgents from the east. The insurgents were so surprised they fell an easy prey, and were almost annihilated. This is sighted as a very pretty practical application of the telegraph in war, even of the guerrilla variety.'

AUGUST 25, 1900.

We have had a tremendous amount of line cutting. This interference with lines continued during the month of August, and in addition to other difficulties we have had an extremely severe typhoon. During the entire typhoon communication was kept up with Aparri, and a great part of the time with the Camarines. Now, however, that a great amount of the rain that fell during the typhoon has gotten into the rivers, it has rendered many of them impassable, and it is impossible for repair men to get at the line. The railroad is washed out, and has been for some weeks, between Manila and Dagupan. While many places are cut off from Manila, the local systems are working very well, and all the absolutely essential communications are maintained.

The amount of work being performed by the men is telling very rapidly upon the health of the command. We are losing men continually by death and the sick report is growing. We got a few men from the line and General MacArthur transfers without hesitation any man who applies. This source of supply, however, is a very meager one and will soon be exhausted. I can offer no suggestion as to how men may be procured, but it is essential we have them from some source.

The 2 officers and 7 men on the Grant were, as you will have been informed before you receive this, diverted to China, and all the supplies that could be taken off were also taken by Major Scriven. Until the Grant is unloaded it will be impossible to say what went there and what came here.

The 30 men that you informed me were on the Sherman will help us out immensely. The only possible suggestion I can make is to repeat the one I have already mentioned two or three times to work the school at Fort Myer to its full capacity. The demand for operators from now on I have no doubt will be even greater than it is now, so that every encouragement should be given the young men to go to Fort Myer, and keep them there, if necessary, an entire year.

OCTOBER 1, 1900.

I received on the Morven 50 miles of cable, 40 miles of which has already been laid in the Laguna, a very important matter coming up making it absolutely necessary to have uninterrupted communication with Siniloan.

The cable was coiled on a large lorcha and towed by the gunboat Florida. It left Calamba yesterday morning at 8.30, and at 2 o'clock the cable had been completed to Santa Cruz. They left Santa Cruz this morning at 8.30 and completed connection with Siniloan at 2.30 this afternoon. Both lines were successfully laid at the rate of 3 miles an hour. It was extremely good work. Captain Russel was in charge, and I was in communication with him by cable during the entire time of laying.

OCTOBER 13, 1900.

Since the first of the month there has not been as much line cutting as during September, but day before yesterday a repair guard of 20 men was attacked, and so far only 7 of them have returned.

The lines have been working very well, and we have been doing an immense amount of work on them, putting in new poles and constantly repairing.

The amount of work per month is increasing. The number of messages during August per man per day was 20.5, which is over double what it was in August, 1899. In September the rate has gone up to 21.7. We will probably have to take up commercial business sooner or later, but it is absolutely impossible with the present number of operators and facilities as to lines. The lines are working about their full capacity as it is now.

I can only recommend that as fast as men can be procured that they be forwarded. The number of offices will, of course, gradually increase.

OCTOBER 22, 1900.

The lines are all working very well except a little stretch between Guinayangan and Atimonan, with which we have considerable trouble in repairing on account of extremely high water. I have quite a strong party there, who are putting in new poles and expect to have it soon in first-class condition.

You will see by the returns that there are quite a number of men transferred from the line, but most of these cases do not add anything to the force, as they are nearly all of them on detached service. As I wrote you before, we need a regular supply monthly of from 10 to 15 men to keep up the present offices and for extensions.

There were sent and received during September over 240,000 messages, representing 7,200,000 words sent and received, or 3,600,000 words sent, which, at the Government rate of 1 cent per word, would amount to $36,000 for the month, which is, approximately, just about what the entire system costs. The above does not include the exclusive telephone business.

We are anxiously awaiting the arrival of the Burnside, and will proceed to get in the cable upon her arrival.

July...

HEADQUARTERS DIVISION OF THE PHILIPPINES,
OFFICE OF CHIEF SIGNAL OFFICER,
Manila, P. I., August 7, 1901.

Telegraph, telephone, and cable miles operated (including reconstruction).

Messages sent and
received.

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July 1

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Signal Corps, U. S. Army, division of the Philippines, Manila, P. I.

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EXTRACTS FROM REPORTS OF CAPT. GEORGE O. SQUIER, SIGNAL CORPS, ON CABLE OPERATIONS IN THE PHILIPPINES, ALSO UPON THE GROWTH OF GUTTA-PERCHA IN THAT ARCHIPELAGO, WITH EXTRACTS FROM REPORT OF CAPT. EDGAR RUSSEL RELATIVE TO DAILY OPERATIONS ON THE CABLE SHIP BURNSIDE.

OFF PORT SAID, October 26, 1900.

As far as the Signal Corps operations are concerned everything is in good condition, as last reported.

On the night of the 24th instant, while at sea, important and essential valves of the engine broke down, causing us to lay to for five hours, until it could be temporarily repaired on board. In consequence of repairs from this cause I have just been informed by the transport quartermaster that we will probably be obliged to lay at Port Said until some time next Tuesday, and will then proceed through the canal and direct to Aden.

As you know, it is extremely dangerous to the health of the ship to pump into the tanks foul and dirty water, such as is frequently found at the anchorages assigned for coaling purposes. Repeatedly doing this causes a foul sediment in the tanks, which when drying out decomposes, and besides injuring the cable by rotting it, it has frequently in the past been the cause of an epidemic on board before the cable could be removed and laid.

To reduce the above effects to a minimum, we have arranged a method of taking water into the tanks over the side of the ship and near the surface, instead of at the muddy bottom.

Flooding cable tanks at sea even in the calmest of weather has often been attempted in the past and found impracticable.

We thus are able to properly flood the tanks and conduct the cable tests while the ship is being held for other purposes, so that no delay to the ship will be caused by the Signal Corps operations on board.

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CABLE SHIP BURNSIDE, IN STRAIT OF BAB EL MANDEB, ARABIA,
November 5, 1900.

I have to report that we shall arrive off Aden at midnight to-night and shall immediately flood the cable tanks, and shall sail to-morrow at noon, if possible, for Colombo.

As soon as leaving Aden we shall begin to prepare the bow of the ship to receive the cable-laying machinery in Manila.

The bulwark plate on either side of the stem piece above the topgallant forecastle deck has to be removed and the stem piece cut to a height of 10 inches above the topgallant forecastle deck. After this 12 by 12 timbers are to be fitted athwart ships on the forecastle, beginning from the stem and carrying it aft to within 6 inches of the upright of the anchor crane. Although we have but one ship's carpenter, when we should have had also a carpenter's mate, we shall try, with the aid of the crew and the Signal Corps men, to have this work done upon arrival at Manila, so that we can start almost immediately to lay the cable. In fact, we are utilizing the time of passage in making everything ready for the cable work.

The Burnside is proving herself a staunch ship, but she is very slow and can make but about 10 knots per hour despite the best efforts of the engineering department. This, however, is no drawback as far as cable operations are concerned.

SULU ARCHIPELAGO, TAWI-TAWI GROUP, ISLAND OF BONGAO, P. I., Cable ship Burnside, March 6, 1901. Bongao is the southernmost garrison occupied by United States troops in these islands, and is just off the coast of North Borneo.

On February 28, at 4.15 p. m., we successfully finished laying our last main cable, brought over on the Burnside, after a little over two months of the most difficult work any of us have ever experienced. All of the cables have been laid, however, without a hitch, and are now in successful operation. The last cable laid was from Zamboanga, Mindanao, to the island of Jolo (Sulu), which connected with for the first time our friend His Majesty the Sultan of Jolo and the garrison on the island direct to the city of Washington by a copper wire every inch of the distance.

On our way back at Zamboanga the Burnside received cable orders to proceed south to the Tawi-Tawi group to attempt to save the wreck of the Government steam launch, the Maud, which had gone on the rocks at Bongao some ten days before. Accordingly we sailed the same evening, taking the eastern passage around the Sulu Archipelago. This was on the evening of March 1, and we reached Bongao Point at about 3 p. m. Sunday, March 3, remaining there until March 6. The Maud was found to be high and dry on a sharp point of rocks just off the coast, with small holes punched in her bottom. During the next two days, by working night and day, she was pulled off the rocks by the Burnside, her bottom patched, and placed in good running condition, thus saving, I believe, some $15,000 to the Government.

The Government of the Tawi-Tawi group comprises about 20 islands and an estimated population of about 20,000, entirely Moros. It also includes the Cibitu Islands, about 18 or 20 miles from the coast of Borneo, which were omitted from the Paris treaty and recently purchased by our Government.

The inhabitants of this group (Tawi-Tawi) are the Bojan. They are all either pirates, ex-pirates, or descendants of pirates, but now rarely exercise their craft, and then only on each other. All of the natives are armed with a weapon called the "barong," which is a knife, often with a beautifully carved handle of wood, silver, or ivory, and a blade beautifully balanced and capable of striking down a slave or opponent with a single blow. These knives are the principal property of the natives, and they spend most of their energy working upon them.

Our cable work here, extended over the last two months, has taken us pretty thoroughly over the whole extent of the Philippines from Manila to Borneo. Beginning with the great island of Mindanao, second only to Luzon in size, and extending south, including the Jolo, Siasi, and Tawi-Tawi groups, is a great natural division of the Philippines which differs entirely in the character of the inhabitants, religion, customs, and trade. The northern and southern islands are like two different countries. The southern division is Mahommedan and its inhabitants are Moros. I believe that few of our people in the United States appreciate the extent and magnificent possibilities of our new island possessions in the East. I myself had no conception of them before. They include an area nearly as large as the Empire of Japan and about twice the size of the British Islands, with a population of about 8,000,000 people, extending in latitude from about 4° to 21° N. I was surprised to find that the southern islands have very little connection with the northern ones, and practically all the trade from the south is conducted with Borneo and Singapore. There is a regular line of monthly steamers between Jolo and Singapore, and practically no business is carried on between Jolo and Manila.

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