the light tower and lantern has been constructed; and provision has been made for two resident keepers instead of one by erection of another dwelling with quarters for the keeper's family. Several minor aids have also been established from this appropriation.

Allotments have been made from special appropriations for aids to navigation, to carry on work at the new light and fog-signal station to be established at Cape Spencer. Work at the site was commenced in May of this year. This important station when completed will show a flashing white light of ample power, produced by an incandescent oil vapor lamp and a modern revolving lens, and will be equipped with a compressed-air diaphone fog signal and a radio fog signal. As field operations are practicable only during the summer months the station will not be placed in commission before the latter part of the season of 1925.

It is the policy of the Lighthouse Service to extend and improve the system of aids in Alaska as rapidly as funds for the purpose become available from special appropriations made by Congress. The following table, which gives the total number of aids of the diffierent classes in service on June 30 of 1910 and certain subsequent years, illustrates the progress being made in establishing aids in the Territory:

Cable and telegraph service.-The service rendered by the Washington-Alaska military cable and telegraph system in the progress and development of Alaska can not be overestimated.

The most important accomplishment during the year was the laying of the new cable from Seattle via Trocadero portage to Ketchikan, by the cableship Dellwood, which was completed May 30, 1924. This new cable gives direct communication with Seattle from the important town of Ketchikan and since its completion traffic from Skagway, Haines, Juneau, Petersburg, and Wrangell, which was formerly routed via Sitka is now handled by Ketchikan with much greater dispatch. The traffic over the new cable has been heavy and there is no question but that it will increase in years to come.

The Navy radio service has rendered most valuable assistance throughout the year during periods when cable interruptions were most serious, as in the case of the Sitka-Valdez cable, which has been interrupted since December 22, 1923.

After several years of effort to secure the Ketchikan and Juneau Navy radio stations for this system success has only recently been attained.

The 19 cable lines operated by the system in Alaska covers a total mileage of 3.543.400. The mileage of land lines is 470 miles of poles and 840 miles of wire. The Nenana-Hot Springs telegraph line was abandoned June 16, 1924. Offices were opened at Fortuna Ledge and

The

Tacotna June 22, 1924, and November 27, 1923, respectively. Nome city office was closed July 14, 1923. Traffic there is now handled at the radio office. The Tolovana office was closed June 16, 1924. and the Koyukuk office August 18, 1923. office not operated by the Signal Corps. radio stations were closed November 21, respectively.

The latter is now a telephone

The McGrath and Noorvik 1923, and June 27, 1924.

Communication over the various Alaskan cables was interrupted a total of 620 days. At no time were all the cables interrupted, the interruptions being scattered throughout the entire cable section during the fiscal year. Interruptions to land lines totaled 78 days and, as with the cables, at no time were all the lines interrupted. Radio interruptions totaled 81 days on the second section with no interruptions on the first section.

Forty-seven men were sent into Alaska and 45 men were brought out of the Territory during the fiscal year. The average number of enlisted men on duty in Alaska during the year was 141.

The total value of Government and commercial business transacted during the year amounted to $405,429.34.

Newspapers in Alaska received from Seattle 2.595,215 words of press during the year.

The naval communication service in Alaska performs two important functions in that while the communication stations in Ketchikan, Sitka, Juneau, Cordova, Seward, Kodiak, Dutch Harbor, and on the St. Paul and St. George Islands, in the Pribilof Group, insure communication with shipping in the waters contiguous to the coast and on north Pacific routes, they supplement the rapid communication facilities for the Territory by securing service to communities out of touch with the Army cable and telegraph system and insure continuous communication between the Territory and the United States whenever the system operated by the Signal Corps is interrupted from any cause.

Organization for insuring continuous rapid communication for the Territory provides two main arteries--the high-powered sta

tions at Ketchikan in Alaska and North Head in the United States provide a circuit for points in southeastern Alaska, while the stations at Cordova and Puget Sound form the main route for points in southwestern Alaska. The other stations enumerated above act as feeders for this concentration of messages at the two main stations at Cordova and Ketchikan.

The radio compass stations on Soapstone Point and on Cape Hinchinbrook are used by ships when making the difficult entrances to Icy Strait and to Prince William Sound.

The stations on St. Paul Island, in the Pribilof Group, and Dutch Harbor, on Unalaska, are peculiarly useful in that the uniformly excellent conditions as regards atmospheric disturbance existing at these stations permit them to communicate with merchant ships anywhere in the north Pacific Ocean from the Orient to the continental coast.

During the fiscal year 1924 naval radio stations in Alaska handled 17,649,360 words, of which over 16 per cent, or 2,824,298 words, were commercial from, to, and within the Territory.

Work of the Bureau of Biological Survey.-Investigations were continued for grazing areas suitable for reindeer in new territory both near the coast of Bering Sea and the Arctic Ocean as well as inland. Quadrat sites which were established last year for the purpose of determining the production of reindeer moss and other forage were visited and records made of the facts shown. In addition an investigation of poisonous plants was undertaken owing to reports having been received of spring losses, mainly of fawns, through poisoning. Indications appear to point toward the branched Equisetum as the probable poisonous plant, the area in which the losses of animals occurred being all marshy grounds about lakes and sloughs adjoining the river where the reindeer were closely herded in the spring when vegetation was scanty. A quantity of the Equisetum and other possibly poisonous plants were gathered for further study.

Experiments in feeding reindeer grain and forage for the purpose of enabling them to endure continuous travel in winter hauling passengers and supplies have given promising results. Unfortunately the lack of adequate quarters for conducting this experiment under the best conditions has interfered with the investigation.

The reindeer experts of the Bureau of Biological Survey visited numerous herds along the coast with the schooner Hazel for the purpose of conferring with the owners and encouraging them in initiating better methods of herd management.

Experiments in branding animals were continued and results already obtained appear to indicate that this method of marking reindeer is a success.

Special efforts have been taken, through securing measurements and weights of reindeer, to ascertain the rate of growth of different ages and sexes. During the summer the schooner Hazel allotted to the reindeer work traveled more than 2,500 miles. The reindeer herds continued to increase in size and the development of methods of handling them through a system of corrals and chutes where the animals may be branded or otherwise marked is greatly simplifying this part of herd management and is almost completely eliminating the former considerable losses under cruder methods.

Fur farming is growing, especially in southern Alaska, including the Aleutian Islands reservation, and is developing into an important industry. More than 200 fur farms are already in operation in southern Alaska. Eleven new permits for the propagation of foxes on different islands in the Aleutian reservation were issued during

the year.

The possibilities of successful sheep grazing on some of the Aleutian Islands is attracting attention. While the industry is still entirely in the experimental stage, yet the indications of success are sufficient to encourage two companies which took permits and brought in 1.000 sheep each, one lot being for the western end of Unalaska and the other for Umnak Island. Further importations of sheep are planned by these companies.

The statistics of shipments of furs from Alaska during the year ended November 30, 1923, show that nearly $2,000,000 worth of furs had been reported for exportation.

Regulations issued by the Secretary of Agriculture on May 29 1924, continued the close season on beaver and closed the season on marten. The decrease in these two valuable fur bearers was such during the last two seasons that a close season had become urgently needed.

Numerous permits were granted for the capture of various kinds of land fur-bearing animals for propagation purposes during the year. A number of fur farmers are experimenting in the propaga tion of beaver, marten, and mink. To this the bureau is giving all possible encouragement in order to try to build up the furfarming industry in every possible way.

Closing the season to hunting and trapping in the lower Taku River Basin practically establishes a wild-life refuge in that area. This was done at the urgent request of numerous Alaskans who believed that the wild life of this area is of greater value under conservation than it would be if opened to trapping and shooting.

One of the Biological Survey's most experienced predatory animal hunters was detailed to continue experiments for the destruction of wolves on the islands of southeastern Alaska. This work was first undertaken last year. The information secured concerning the seasonal movements of wolves in that region, their denning habits. and their depredations on game were of the greatest interest and value. A considerable number of wolves were killed both by trapping and poisoning and the practicability of destroying wolves on these islands, whenever funds are available for the purpose, has been clearly demonstrated. The present year there was a marked scarcity of wolves on the islands, due no doubt to the number killed the first season.

Joint resolution was passed by Congress and approved June 7, 1924, conferring upon the Secretary of Agriculture, effective July 1, 1924, the powers and duties theretofore conferred upon the Governor of Alaska with respect to the enforcement of the laws for the protection of wild game animals and birds. The administration of the Alaska game law has been united with that of the fur laws under the Bureau of Biological Survey, and a single force of wardens will now enforce both laws under chief Alaska game warden stationed at Juneau. By this arangement it will be possible to establish a

warden service in several parts of the Territory which have heretofore been without such guardianship of the wild life which forms one of its most valuable assets.

Local conditions affecting the game and fur bearers of Alaska vary greatly in different parts of the Territory. With the administration of both laws under a single head it will be possible hereafter much more effectively to promote the conservation of the wild life of the Territory and to build up the numbers of these valuable animals. The experience of the Biological Survey, extending through many years, in the administration of Federal game laws has convinced it that a very great part of effective protection can be secured through educational efforts to inform the people interested as to the purposes and needs of observing laws and regulations.

The growth of interest in the wild life of Alaska has been demonstrated, especially during the last few years, in the formation of game protective associations in a number of localities. Some of these associations are taking a very active interest in the conservation of wild life and their cooperation is earnestly desired by this bureau. The Biological Survey welcomes information and suggestions not only from members of such organizations but from anyone else in the Territory who has constructive ideas on the subject.

TERRITORIAL SCHOOLS

The year 1923-24 was one of the most successful in the history of the schools of Alaska. Interest in education on the part of the general public was never keener. The enrollment of pupils in all classes of schools was larger than ever before. The total of elementary school graduates was 40 per cent greater than last year. This betokens a large expansion in the enrollment of high schools since the majority of Alaska children who complete the work of the elementary schools enter high school.

The scope of the Territorial system was enlarged during the past year through a provision whereby financial aid is extended to communities which have fewer children of school age than is required by law for the establishment of a regular school district. Schools so maintained are known as cooperative schools.

The Alaska schools are unique in the matter of the large amount of support given by the central government. They are supported largely by appropriations from the Territorial treasury, augmented by 25 per cent of the Alaska fund, which consists of a variety of Federal taxes collected in the Territory and which annually nets the schools approximately $50,000. Schools outside incorporated towns derive their support entirely from appropriations which are disbursed through the Governor's office. Twenty-five per cent of the cost of maintenance of schools in incorporated towns is borne by the local school district and 75 per cent by the Territorial government up to a maximum of $20,000 annually to any one school district. The Territorial schools, including public, elementary, and high schools, and all public educational institutions are under the general supervision of a Territorial board of education with the commissioner of education, Juneau, as chief executive officer.