CHINESE EXCLUSION.

The total number of Chinese persons of the so-called exempt classes admitted to the United States during the fiscal year was 3,925, and the number applying for and refused admission was 950. Under the provisions of Article III of the treaty with China, promulgated on December 8, 1894, 1,012 Chinese persons have been permitted the privilege of transit through the United States under bonds, the penal sum of which has been increased from $200 to $500 in each case. Chinese in transit usually proceed to Mexico, and many of them have attempted thence to reenter the United States. The arrest for deportation of 131 Chinese persons on the Mexican frontier indicates that proper efforts have been made to prevent such irregularities.

The total number of Chinese arrested for deportation in the fiscal year was 566. During the same period 192 Chinese were deported by legal process, at a total cost of $19,457.41, an average cost of $101.30 per capita, which included transportation to a Chinese port. The number of returning registered Chinese laborers admitted during the last fiscal year was 1,793, and the number of that class who left this country during the same period with the intention of returning was 2,554. In June, 1898, it was found that large numbers of Chinese persons were seeking admission on certificates issued by the Government of China, describing them as traders, salesmen, clerks, buyers, bookkeepers, accountants, managers, storekeepers, apprentices, etc., as of the so-called exempt classes designated in Article III of the treaty with China. The subject having been referred to the Attorney-General, that officer on July 15, 1898, rendered an opinion to the effect that the privilege of admission must be confined to the classes specifically named in the treaty, and "that the true theory is not that all Chinese persons may enter this country who are not forbidden, but that only those are entitled to enter who are expressly allowed."

A thorough investigation of the operations of the Chinese-exclusion laws made during the year 1898 resulted in the discovery that its provisions had not been thoroughly enforced in several sections of the country, and that at one port at least Chinese had been unlawfully admitted through the collusion of officers of the Department. These officers were promptly dismissed from the Service, and the evidence secured resulted in the criminal indictment of three of them. It is expected that these persons will shortly be tried, and every effort is being made to punish them.

The rulings of the Department and the investigation referred to have resulted in a considerable decrease in the number of Chinese persons admitted to this country as of the exempt class other than returning laborers, 5,273 having been so admitted during the fiscal year ended June 30, 1898, and only 3,925 in the last fiscal year, as stated above. Since the dismissal of the officers referred to, the admission of Chinese

of the exempt class on the northern frontier has almost entirely ceased, the result of more honest and efficient administration.

In an opinion rendered October 21, 1898, the Attorney-General held that the provisions of the joint resolution, approved July 7, 1898, annexing the Hawaiian Islands, made the Chinese-exclusion laws applicable to those islands. An experienced Chinese inspector was at once sent to Honolulu, with instructions to cooperate with the Hawaiian customs authorities in the enforcement of the laws, and the opinion was communicated to the latter through the Department of State. Subsequently, by the advice of the Attorney-General, permits issued by the Hawaiian authorities prior to the receipt by them of the necessary instructions, entitling Chinese persons to return to these islands, were recognized as authoritative, and the foregoing figures include 328 Chinese admitted to the Hawaiian Islands, and 37 Chinese refused admission to those islands. The expense so incurred in the Hawaiian Islands has been paid from the appropriation made by the joint resolution referred to, $5,000 thereof having been set aside for that purpose by the President. The expense of the enforcement of the Chineseexclusion laws in this country amounted to $89,084.51 during the last fiscal year.

The sundry civil appropriation act of August 18, 1894, provides that "in every case where an alien is excluded from admission into the United States under any law or.treaty now existing or hereafter made, the decision of the appropriate immigration or customs officers, if adverse to the admission of such alien, shall be final, unless reversed on appeal to the Secretary of the Treasury."

The increased efficiency of the customs officers on the northern frontier resulted in the nonadmission of over 300 Chinese, who claimed to be of the exempt class. Many of these persons, disregarding the decision of the collector denying them admission, unlawfully entered the United States for arrest for deportation, and in each case the United States courts and commissioners assumed jurisdiction to inquire into the right of such Chinese to admission, notwithstanding the collector had decided adversely thereon and had been sustained by the Department on appeal. In Vermont, 215 Chinese persons were so arrested for deportation, and nearly all were discharged, the United States court or the commissioner finding, almost invariably on Chinese testimony, that they were entitled to be and remain in the United States, notwithstanding the fact that the collector of customs had in most cases denied them admission. In the trial of these cases the Department has had the efficient cooperation of the United States attorneys, particularly in the district of Vermont.

It will be seen that by these means the provision of the act of August 18, 1894, quoted above, is rendered null and void, and the enforcement of the Chinese-exclusion laws is taken away from this Department, except in the cases of Chinese who are willing to acquiesce in the decision of the collector of customs or the Department denying

them admission. The Congress is urged to provide legislation more clearly defining the authority of the Department in this class of cases. The joint resolution approved March 1, 1899, provided that the Chinese-exclusion laws should not operate to prevent the admission of "such mechanics, artisans, agents or other employes" as "any foreign exhibitor, representative, or citizen of a foreign nation, or the holder, who is a citizen of a foreign nation, of any concession or privilege from the Philadelphia Exposition Association of Philadelphia," might deem necessary for the purposes of the concession. The holder of a concession granted by the authorities of the exposition referred to, supported by said authorities, demanded the admission of 450 Chinese persons for the purpose of such concession, and after careful consideration it was found that the Department had no authority to deny the application or to make regulations whereby the Chinese so to be admitted might be removed from the country after three months from the close of the exposition, notwithstanding the fact that, in the light of past experience, it was believed that such number was grossly excessive, and that the privilege would be abused. The collector at San Francisco was accordingly instructed to admit 450 Chinese persons for the purpose of the Philadelphia Exposition, but was required to exact a written description and photograph of each so admitted. There is ground for the suspicion that the holder of the concession sold the privilege of admission. Such suspicion is greatly strengthened by the fact that of the 281 Chinese admitted only 49 were to be found at the exposition so long ago as November 3, 1899. To secure their deportation each must be apprehended and taken before a United States commissioner-a procedure that will involve great expense and be attended with doubtful results. The United States court in Chicago recently discharged a troupe of Chinese actors who had been admitted, under similar circumstances, for the Omaha Exposition of 1898.

If similar privileges are hereafter granted by the Congress, it is recommended that in each case the Secretary of the Treasury be authorized to fix and limit the number of Chinese so to be admitted, and to make regulations providing for their ultimate deportation.

It is also recommended that authority be granted for the taking of bonds from masters of vessels who bring Chinese persons in their crews to this country to prevent the landing of such persons. The employment of so-called Chinese watchmen to accomplish this result involved an expense of $14,056.50 during the last fiscal year, which expense should hereafter be obviated.

In my opinion, the enforcement of the Chinese-exclusion laws should be committed to the Bureau of Immigration.

MARINE-HOSPITAL SERVICE.

The Surgeon-General of the Marine-Hospital Service reports that the past year, being the one hundred and first of the existence of the Service, has been the most active in its history. The number of patients treated in the marine hospitals and dispensaries exceeded that of any previous year, and the duties of the Service in relation to quarantine and public health were largely increased, both in volume and variety, by reason of the war with Spain and the resulting territorial acquisitions. The Service owns and operates 22 marine hospitals, and there are besides 107 stations where patients receive hospital or dispensary treatment. During the fiscal year 1899 the total number of patients was 55,489, of which number 12,610 were treated in hospital.

Professional aid was given to other branches of the Government service, as follows:

To the Revenue Cutter Service, in the examination of 990 applicants for the position of cadet, engineer, and seaman; to the SteamboatInspection Service, in the examination of 1,860 pilots for color-blindness, 64 being rejected; to the Life-Saving Service, in the examination of 1,275 applicants for the position of surfman, and the examination of 363 claims of surfmen for the benefits provided by section 7 of the act of May 4, 1882; to the United States Coast Survey, examinations, 36; to the Light-House Service, examinations, 14; to the Naval Reserve, examinations, 8. The total number of physical examinations was, therefore, 4,179, of which number 250 were rejected.

Aid was also extended to the Immigration Service by the medical inspection of 297,785 immigrants; to the Civil-Service Commission in making physical examinations; and to the Army and Navy by the reception of patients in marine hospitals, and by the detail of medical officers for sanitary supervision of United States Army transports. These officers were gradually withdrawn after Marine-Hospital officers had been assigned to quarantine duty in ports of Cuba and Porto Rico. During the year the hospitals have received special attention in the matter of repairs and preservation and ward equipment. The medical libraries have been increased by the addition of the latest standard works; the operating rooms have received new and improved instruments and appliances, including X-ray machines, and the laboratories provided with photographic outfits. A new service ambulance has been adopted and supplied to a large number of the stations.

New purveying depot.

As mentioned in the last annual report of the Service, the business of the purveying division had reached such proportions that the establishment of a purveying depot in New York became necessary.

After careful consideration, a suitable building was secured under lease in New York and the purveying depot transferred thereto during

the past summer.

The space in the Bureau thus vacated has permitted the enlargement of the Bureau organization, required by the additional duties imposed upon it.

Marine hospital for consumptives, Fort Stanton, N. Mex.

Upon application of the Surgeon-General, the Secretary of the Interior was requested to transfer to this Department, for the treatment of consumptive patients of the Marine-Hospital Service, the abandoned military reservation known as Fort Stanton, N. Mex., and on April 1, 1899, an Executive order was signed to that effect. A medical officer was placed in command, and preparations were made for the reception of patients, who are now being transferred.

This measure will not only be of benefit to the patients treated in this favorable climate, but will relieve the marine hospitals of these contagious cases, and will be of material aid to the great movement now being urged throughout this and other countries in suppressing this communicable disease. Legislation will be requested for the development of this sanitarium.

New marine hospital for New York.

The Surgeon-General again refers to the necessity of Congress making an appropriation for a marine hospital for the port of New York. The present arrangement for the care of sick and disabled seamen at the principal port of the United States in a building leased from time to time is unsatisfactory. I concur in his recommendation.

Medical corps.

The medical corps at the end of the fiscal year consisted of 83 commissioned medical officers. During the year, after successful examination, as required by law, 16 applicants were commissioned as assistant surgeons. Since June 30, 10 have been appointed. There are, in addition, 95 acting assistant surgeons, 11 sanitary inspectors, and 38 hospital stewards-a total of 144 noncommissioned officers. In addition to the commissioned and noncommissioned officers, there are about 400 attendants and quarantine employees when the marine hospitals and quarantine stations have their full complement of men. This number is of necessity largely increased during epidemics.

Three assistant surgeons contracted yellow fever, and one died of this disease October 12, 1899, while engaged in the work of preventing its spread in Key West. The Fifty-fifth Congress passed a law authorizing the payment of the amount of salary and allowances for two years to the legal representatives of an assistant surgeon who died of yellow fever under like circumstances in 1893. The Surgeon-General recommends the passage of a general law granting a like amount in the event of the death of any officer in the active performance of his duties. He points to the fact that these officers are subject to change of station, as are