On the 27th of September, 1899, I had the honor to submit a report on the administration of affairs in the Custom House of the Port of Manila, for the period from the date of American occupation until the close of the fiscal year ending June 30, 1899, to which I respectfully refer, as it contains matters of interest to the customs service.

I have now the honor to submit the following as the Annual Report of the Collector of Customs of the Islands and of the Chief Port, for the fiscal year, ending June 30, 1900:

Classification of Ports, Etc.

ENTRY PORT.-A port at which a custom house is located,
a collector of customs is in charge, and duties are
collected.

OPEN PORT.-Same as entry port.

INTERIOR PORT.-One at which an inspector of customs
has been assigned to duty, but at which no duties are
collected.

LOCAL PORT.-Same as interior port.

EQUIPPED PORT.-Either an interior or entry port, or any port at which a customs official has been assigned to duty. UNEQUIPPED PORT.-One at which no customs official has been assigned to duty; at which no duties are collected and no vessels are permitted to enter, excepting by order of the Military Governor or district commander. In this report the only ports referred to are entry and interior ports.

On the first day of July, 1899, the ports of Manila, Iloilo and Cebu were the only customs ports open in the islands. The ports of Jolo, Zamboanga and Siassi, were opened in the latter part of 1899, the exact date of entry of each being unknown at this office.

These six above mentioned ports are all of the entry ports in the islands at this time. The Island of Guam is not considered, as said port has never made any report to this office, either financial or otherwise.

On June 30, 1900, there were, in addition to the six entry ports, seventy (70) interior ports. The following exhibits their names, where located, when opened, and the collection district and jurisdiction to which they belong, viz.:

As stated above, the foregoing are all of the interior ports opened prior to July 1, 1900. Since then, the following interior ports have been opened, viz.:

Foreign and Coastwise Navigation.

The opening of the interior ports and the registration of vessels under the operation of G. O. No. 69, Office of the U. S. Military Governor, dated December 21, 1899, was the commencement of the resumption of the coastwise trade of the islands.

The first license to engage in this trade was issued at Manila, on January 6, 1900. From that date to June 30, 1900,

four hundred and seventy-three (473) licenses and certificates of protection were issued at Manila alone to vessels to engage in this trade.

The aggregate tonnage of these vessels amounted to fortyfour thousand eight hundred and seventy-five and twenty-five hundredths (44,875.25) tons, and upon which there was collected forty-four thousand eight hundred and seventy-five dollars and twenty-five cents ($44,875.25) Mexican money.

During the same period, licenses and certificates of protection were issued at the other entry ports as follows, viz.: TOTAL TONNAGE.

Iloilo...

Cebu

Jolo.

Zamboanga.

Siassi..

LICENSES.

making for the entire islands, a grand total of issues of licenses and certificates to eight hundred and forty-three (843) vessels, aggregating a tonnage of fifty thousand nine hundred and ninety-four and eighty-hundreths (50,994.80) tons.

Since July 1, last, licenses and certificates have been issued at Manila to one hundred and fifty-two vessels, aggregating five thousand nine hundred and fifty-six and eighty-hundreths (5,956.80) tons. No reports have as yet been received of the number of licenses issued at the other entry ports since July 1, last.

In addition to the foregoing, special licenses without certificates of protection, under the provisions of General Orders No. 38, Office of the U. S. Military Governor, dated March 24th, 1900, have been issued, at Manila alone, to ninety-two (92) vessels, aggregating five hundred and ninety-two and one hundredths (592.01) tons.

The reports of the number of special licenses issued at the other entry ports have not as yet been received.

That the coastwise trade will continue to increase, is evidenced by the fact that there seems to be no diminution in applications for licenses and certificates.

A summary of coastwise and foreign navigation at the port of Manila, P. I., for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1900, is appended, marked "A". A similar summary for the other entry ports is appended marked "B".

Imports.

A summary of all imports at the port of Manila, P. I., by countries, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1900, marked "C," is herewith enclosed. An inspection of this exhibit will show that there has been a remarkably steady increase in the imports of Manila, especially in those of provisions and manufactured cotton goods.

As the supplies for the army and navy serving in the Philippines do not pass through the custom house, they do not enter into this summary.

The increase in the importation of provisions and manufactured goods may be properly attributed, under the influence of American example, to a higher standard of living than formerly, as to food and dress, by the native and Chinese inhabitants of these islands, and their ability to supply their wants because of the employment which they obtain at wages increased since American occupation.

A summary of the imports at the other entry ports cannot be fully given at this date because of the absence of proper data. The reports will be rendered in due time after the reception of the proper data and will be forwarded to their proper destination. When these reports are accomplished, they will substantiate the above deductions made relative to the imports to Manila. Anyone who considers the steady increase of importations can make various deductions therefrom, but not any but those which are patriotically complimentary to the United States Government.

It will be noticed that Hong Kong is credited with a very large amount of flour imported into the Philippine Islands; credited to Hong Kong under the rules, because invoiced at Hong Kong, and because the principal houses of the importers are situated there. It is unofficially known that nearly all of the flour invoiced at Hong Kong, as a matter of fact, comes from the United States, as is shown by brands on the sacks.

The same is true to a greater or less extent of canned fruits and other articles of provision.