March 1, 1904, the Director of the Census cooperated with the State of Michigan in taking the census of manufactures of that State, to be utilized in the Federal census of manufactures in 1905. This cooperation with State officials in statistical work resulted most satisfactorily. Arrangements have been made for similar cooperation with State officials in a number of States, in taking the census of manufactures.

PHILIPPINE CENSUS.

The most important work performed during the past year, in addition to work on the special reports, has been the tabulation of the census of the Philippine Islands. The schedules were received by the Bureau September 25, 1903, and the completed tables for population, agriculture, manufactures, vital statistics, and much other data were placed in the hands of the Director of the Philippine Census at intervals during the first six months of the present calendar year; the last of the tables will be completed and delivered in October. The greater part of the tables and text of the Philippine Census reports are now in press. It is expected that they will make four volumes of approximately 700 pages each. The regular clerical force of the Bureau was utilized upon this work, but during a period of three months, while the work was at its height, about 150 temporary clerks were employed to expedite the punching of cards.

MISCELLANEOUS WORK.

The Bureau has lately completed the tabulation of statistics concerning the executive civil service of the United States, and has published this information as Census Bulletin 12. The information presented in this bulletin is important and interesting. Accurate information regarding the personnel of the executive civil service can be secured only by compilations of this character, and there will undoubtedly be a demand for it at stated intervals. The Bureau of the Census should be authorized to compile a similar bulletin at intervals of two, four, or six years.

In the preparation of the decennial census tables showing the birthplace of the foreign-born population, the Bureau of the Census cooperated with the Bureau of Immigration and tabulated immigration statistics upon punched cards, thus bringing within the reach of the latter Bureau much information from the alien manifests hitherto untabulated. It is highly desirable to secure legislation by which the alien emigration as well as immigration can be statistically measured.

The original schedules of the twelve decennial censuses of the United States from 1790 to 1900 are now in possession of the Bureau of the Census, having been transferred from the Department of the Interior to the Census building in June last, under the act of Congress approved January 12, 1903. The population schedules of the Twelfth Census

have been bound in 2,812 volumes. Thus, all the population schedules of all the censuses except the Eleventh are in condition for permanent preservation. The Eleventh Census was taken by family schedules, and there were thus nearly 13,000,000 schedules. Their bulk precludes binding them, as it is estimated that they would form 30,000 volumes. The vaults of the Census building have been made fireproof, and contain the population schedules for all the censuses except the Eleventh.

The Director of the Census recommends that the Government shall compile and publish the names of the heads of families in the original thirteen States as returned at the census of 1790, and expresses the opinion that this material would occupy about 2,500 printed pages, or two volumes, of which an edition of 5,000 copies would not exceed $35,000 in cost. He believes that much of this expenditure would be repaid to the Treasury by sale of this work, which is much in demand by patriotic organizations and individuals.

During the past year the Bureau of the Census has published, or prepared for publication, ten bound volumes and twenty-three bulletins and pamphlets.

Sufficient time has now elapsed to justify the conclusion that the establishment of a permanent Census Bureau was wise legislation, not only for the main reasons advanced in the debates which led to the enactment of the law, but for other reasons which have developed as the work of the permanent office has progressed. During the past year it has been made clear that cooperation with State and municipal authorities in connection with the secondary inquiries, in securing population statistics for intercensal periods, and particularly in securing greater uniformity in statistical work, has opened so many new opportunities for usefulness that the existence of the Bureau of the Census is more than justified.

The Director of the Census states that the experience and efficiency of the clerical force of the Bureau have steadily improved. He has established the policy of transferring clerks in large numbers from one division to another, as the pressure of work demands. Incidentally this has greatly increased the familiarity of the clerks with different classes of work, and fits them for valuable service in connection with the next census. The lack of expert assistance in training and directing clerks was recognized by Congress at the last session, and the number of chiefs of division was increased from four to eight. The total number of employees in the clerical and field force of the Bureau is now 712.

TABULATING APPLIANCES.

During the year a new contract has been negotiated, with my approval, by the Director of the Census, for the use of the electrical tabulating apparatus successfully employed in the Eleventh and

Twelfth censuses. It is intended to utilize this apparatus in the tabulation of the annual vital statistics, the annual immigration statistics, and in other current work of the Bureau. It has been definitely demonstrated that the application of mechanical appliances in large statistical undertakings enables work to be completed in at least onetenth of the time required to do it by hand at about one-third the cost and with a marked increase in accuracy.

Indeed, it may fairly be said that the work of compiling a decennial census has grown to such enormous proportions, owing to the rapid growth of the country, that it is no longer possible to accomplish it within a period of time that will satisfy the country without the aid of mechanical appliances. The law under which the Twelfth Census was taken required the four main reports-on population, vital statistics, agriculture, and manufactures--to be completed and published within two years from the date of the enumeration. The Director of the Census informs me that it would have been physically impossible to complete the compilation of the first three of these branches in less than four years without the aid of the mechanical appliances that were employed.

For the rental of these patented appliances, and for the cards, punches, and other necessary accessories, there was paid the sum of $428,239.61, in connection with the Twelfth Census proper. This sum represents nearly 4 per cent of the total cost of that census, and while it also represents a very large saving, as compared with the cost of doing the same work by hand, I am nevertheless convinced that the Government ought to take the steps necessary to a material reduction in the cost.

Something has already been accomplished in that direction by the Director of the Census, whose new contract for the rental of these. machines has been negotiated on the basis of a reduction of approximately 25 per cent from the rentals paid at the Twelfth Census. But even at this reduced rate, he estimates that the use of the tabulating machinery at the Thirteenth Census will cost the Government not less than $720,000.

It is plain that some system of mechanical tabulation is permanently required in connection with census work, and I deem it equally plain that it would be greatly to the advantage of the Government to own a system, instead of depending upon a private company for the use of patented machinery. It is my belief that the way is open for the development of a new system, and that there is ample time to perfect it before the Thirteenth Census is under way. Experimental work in that direction can be carried on in the Bureau of the Census in connection with its current work and at comparatively small expense. The success of such experimental work will mean in the end a large

saving of money to the Government. It is therefore hoped that Congress will grant the appropriation for this experimental work which is asked for in the annual estimates.

COAST AND GEODETIC SURVEY.

The amount appropriated for the Coast and Geodetic Survey for the fiscal year 1904, exclusive of the allotment for printing and binding, was $968,025, of which $210,245 was for manning and equipping the vessels of the Survey, $120,000 for building a new vessel, $38,100 for repairs and maintenance of vessels, and $50,000 for office expenses. The remainder of the appropriation was about equally divided between expenses of parties in the field and salaries of the field and office forces.

The Superintendent of the Coast and Geodetic Survey reports that hydrographic surveys were made in 16 States and Territories, and topographic surveys in 9, that triangulation was done in 14, and leveling in 6. The field work necessary for a revision of the two volumes of the United States Coast Pilot covering the coast from Point Judith, R. I., to Chesapeake Bay entrance, was completed.

The primary triangulation along the ninety-eighth meridian and along the Pacific coast north of San Francisco was continued.

The determination of the difference of longitude between San Francisco, Honolulu (Hawaii), Midway Island, Guam Island, and Manila (Philippine Islands), by the telegraphic method, using the Commercial Pacific cable, was completed, making a most satisfactory closure of the longitude circuit around the globe.

In Alaska a survey was made of Davidson Inlet, work was continued in Prince William Sound, and the survey of Kiska Harbor was begun. The director of coast surveys in the Philippine Islands, an officer of the Coast and Geodetic Survey (with a detail of assistants), in cooperation with the insular government, has continued the important work of charting the imperfectly known waters of the archipelago. The largest vessel belonging to the Survey was engaged on this duty during the past fiscal year. Detached surveys based on astronomic determinations and including base measurement, triangulation, topography, hydrography, and tide observations were made at various points, and a connected triangulation already extends over the greater portion of the west coast of Luzon Island north of Manila Bay. A few additional telegraphic longitudes were determined; magnetic and tide observations were continued. Fifteen new charts were prepared and published at the Manila suboffice, and two volumes of sailing directions were published (revised editions of Sections I and II).

Good progress was made in the general magnetic survey. Observations were made at 345 stations, in 23 States and Territories, including Alaska, Guam, Hawaii, Philippine Islands, and Porto Rico.

Magnetic observations were also made at sea while the vessels of the Survey were en route to their various stations. Magnetic observatories were maintained at Cheltenham, Md.; at Baldwin, Kans.; at Sitka, Alaska; at Honolulu, Hawaii; and in Porto Rico. Special observations were made at the observatories during the year on the 1st and 15th of each month, in order to cooperate with foreign observatories in international magnetic work in connection with the observations made by the expeditions to the Antarctic regions.

Continuous tide observations with self-registering gauges were made at 8 stations, including 1 station in Hawaii and 1 in the Philippine Islands.

The Superintendent attended the Fourteenth General Conference of the International Geodetic Association at Copenhagen, Denmark, as the delegate of the United States. He continued the work of re-marking the boundary line between the United States and Canada, from the Rocky Mountains westward, as commissioner of the United States, and two officers of the Survey were detailed for fieldwork in this connection. The Superintendent and one officer were detailed to report to the United States agent at London, England, for duty in connection with the presentation of the case of the United States to the Alaska Boundary Tribunal, and performed that duty. He also, as the commissioner of the United States on the International Delimitation Commission, inaugurated the work of marking the boundary between Alaska and Canada as laid down by the Alaska Boundary Tribunal, and one officer was detailed for field duty on this work. One officer continued on duty as a member of the Mississippi River Commission.

BUREAU OF STATISTICS.

The foreign commerce of the United States as reported by the Bureau of Statistics shows a larger total than in any earlier year. While the exports were surpassed by those of a single year, 1901, and the imports were also surpassed by those of a single year, 1903, the aggregate of imports and exports for the year is greater than that of any preceding year in the history of our commerce. The imports of the year were $991,087,371 and the exports $1,460,827,271, making the total foreign commerce of the year $2,451,914,642, which exceeded by $6,053,726 the high record established by the year 1903. The imports showed a reduction of $34,631,866 as compared with 1903, but exceeded those of any other year, and the exports were $26,937,720 below those of 1901, but exceeded those of any other year. Of the $1,460,827,271 of exports, $1,435,179,017 were of domestic production, the exports of products of agriculture being $853,643,073 and of manufactures, $452,415,921.