under no further obligation or indebtedness in respect thereof; and that the declaration hereinbefore contained in respect to the increase of the Cuban debt specifically and especially applies to any attempt to create an indebtedness for the discharge of such alleged or pretended obligations. "On behalf of the President, the Government, and the people of the United States, the retiring provisional governor extends to the officials of the Republic now to assume control of the island, heartiest felicitations and good wishes for the success of the new administration, and to the people of Cuba the sincere friendship and good wishes of the United States and the most earnest hope for the stability and success of the reestablished government, for the blessings of peace, justice, prosperity, and well-regulated freedom throughout the island, and for enduring friendship between the Republic of the United States and the Republic of Cuba. 66 Pursuant to the direction of the President of the United States, I deliver to you the letter which I now hand you. "CHARLES E. MAGOON, Document "A" referred to in the foregoing was published as a decree in the following form: REPUBLIC OF CUBA. (Under the provisional administration of the United States.) Decree No. 128.] HABANA, January 27, 1909. The President of the United States has directed the promulgation of the following decree: "Whereas Article III of the appendix to the constitution of the Republic of Cuba provides as follows: “Art. III. That the Government of Cuba consents that the United States may exercise the right to intervene for the preservation of Cuban independence, the maintenance of a government adequate for the protection of life, property, and individual liberty, and for discharging the obligations with respect to Cuba imposed by the treaty of Paris on the United States, now to be assumed and undertaken by the Government of Cuba.' "And whereas pursuant to the said provision and to the treaty between the United States of America and the Republic of Cuba, concluded May 22, 1903, and upon the application of the Government of Cuba the United States on the 29th day of September, 1906, established a provisional government for the preservation of Cuban independence and for the protection of life, property, and individual liberty, to be exercised under and pursuant to the said provisions of Article III of the appendix to the constitution; "And whereas it has been necessary for the provisional government to issue a number of executive and legislative decrees, regulations, orders, and other rulings, now in force, and which may be in terms specifically applicable and apparently limited to the provisional government and the officials thereof; 66 Now, therefore, to the end that none of the matters and things to which said decrees, regulations. orders, and rulings relate shall be, or appear to be, without regulation and control after the termination of the provisional government and pending action thereon by the Government of the Republic of Cuba, to be inaugurated on January 28, 1909: "It is hereby declared and ordered that each and every of the said decrees, regulations, orders, and other rulings made and promulgated by and under the provisional government of Cuba shall be deemed to be general and continuing in its character and to be applicable to and binding upon the officials of the Gorernment of Cuba under whatsoever names or titles who shall succeed the officials of the provisional government and to continue in force and effect under whatsoever government shall exist in Cuba until such time as it may be legally revoked or amended by a properly constituted and duly recognized Government of the Republic of Cuba. "CHARLES E. MAGOON. Bird reservation, island of Culebra, Porto Rico. No. 1042. EXECUTIVE ORDER. It is hereby ordered that the islands of the Culebra group, Porto Rico, approximately in latitude eighteen degrees, twenty minutes north, longitude sixty-five degrees, twenty minutes west from Greenwich, excepting Culebra Island, be and the same are hereby reserved, subject to their use for naval and light-house purposes under the provisions of the Proclamations and Executive Orders heretofore issued and creating such reservations, and set apart for the use of the Department of Agriculture as a preserve and breeding ground for native birds. It is unlawful for any person to hunt, trap, capture, wilfully disturb, or kill any bird of any kind whatever, or take the eggs of such birds within the limits of this reservation, except under such rules and regulations as may be prescribed by the Secretary of Agriculture. Warning is expressly given to all persons not to commit any of the acts herein enumerated and which are prohibited by law. This reservation to be known as Culebra Reservation. THE WHITE HOUSE, February 27, 1909. THEODORE ROOSEVELT. Communications and reports relative to certain territories and possessions to be transmitted through the Interior Department. No. 1077. EXECUTIVE ORDER. It is hereby ordered that on and after May 1, 1909, all official communications or reports from and to executive officers of the territories and territorial possessions of the United States, viz., Arizona, Hawaii, New Mexico, Porto Rico, Alaska, Indian Territory, Samoa and Guam, and all official communications or reports relating to territorial matters from and to all executive officers of the United States stationed in such territories and territorial possessions, shall be transmitted directly to the heads of the Departments of the Government as provided by law, and in all cases where the acts of Congress do not specifically designate the department to which reports shall be transmitted, the same shall be forwarded to the Secretary of the Interior in such manner and under such regulations as he may prescribe. THE WHITE HOUSE, May 25, 1909. WM H TAFT Communications and reports relative to Indian Territory. No. 1081. EXECUTIVE ORDER. The order issued May 25, 1909, with respect to official communications or reports from and to executive officers of the territories and territorial possessions of the United States, is hereby amended by striking the words "Indian Territory" from the list of territories and territorial possessions enumerated. WM H TAFT THE WHITE HOUSE, June 2, 1909. Government of Porto Rico placed under the War Department. No. 1110. EXECUTIVE ORDER. The following Act of Congress approved July 15, 1909, is published for the information of all concerned : AN ACT to amend an Act entitled " An Act temporarily to provide revenues and a civil government for Porto Rico, and for other purposes,' approved April twelfth, nineteeen hundred. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Act entitled "An Act tempo rarily to provide revenues and a civil government for Porto Rico, and for other purposes," approved April twelfth, nineteen hundred, is hereby amended by inserting at the end of section thirty-one of said Act the following additional proviso: "And provided further, That if at the termination of any fiscal year the appropriations necessary for the support of government for the ensuing fiscal year shall not have been made an amount equal to the sums appropriated in the last appropriation bills for such purpose shall be deemed to be appropriated; and until the legislature shall act in such behalf the treasurer may, with the advice of the governor, make the payments necessary for the purposes aforesaid." SEC. 2. That all reports required by law to be made by the governor or members of the executive council of Porto Rico to any official in the United States shall hereafter be made to an executive department of the Government of the United States to be designated by the President; and the President is hereby authorized to place all matters pertaining to the government of Porto Rico in the jurisdiction of such department. Under the provisions of Section 2 of this Act hereafter all reports required by law to be made by the governor or members of the executive council of Porto Rico to any official in the United States will be made to the War Department, and all matters pertaining to the government of Porto Rico are placed in the jurisdiction of that department. The business of the department pertaining to civil government in Porto Rico is, pursuant to Section 87 of the Act of July 1, 1902, assigned to the Bureau of Insular Affairs. THE WHITE HOUSE, July 15, 1909. WM H TAFT Military reservations restored to Government of the Philippine Islands. No. 1154. EXECUTIVE ORDER. The following military reservations, made by Executive Order dated September 1, 1903 (General Orders No. 34, War Department, October 13, 1903), having become useless for military purposes, and having been abandoned as military stations, they are hereby restored to the control of the Government of the Philippine Islands, under the provisions of Section 12 of the Act of Congress approved July 1, 1902, entitled "An act temporarily to provide for the administration of the affairs of civil government in the Philippine Islands, and for other purposes (32 Stat. L., 691), namely: 1. The reservation at Bacon, Province of Sorsogon, Island of Luzon, comprising an area of 32.50 hectares (about 80.30 acres). 2. The reservation at Nueva Caceres, Province of Camarines Sur, Island of Luzon, comprising an area of about 87.01 hectares (about 215 acres). 3. The reservation near Solomague, Province of Ilocos Sur, Island of Luzon. comprising an area of about 107 acres. THE WHITE HOUSE, January 13, 1910. WM H TAFT Wireless telegraphy board, Philippine Islands. No. 1198. EXECUTIVE ORDER. Hon. Charles B. Elliott, Secretary of Commerce and Police of the Philippine Islands, Lieut.-Colonel George P. Scriven, U. S. Army, and Commander Chester M. Knepper, U. S. Navy, are hereby appointed a board to study and make recommendations relating to the construction, operation, maintenance, and management of a system of wireless telegraphy for the Philippine Islands, and as to the relations of the Army, the Navy, the government of the Philippines, and the commercial community to it. The report of the board will be forwarded to the Secretary of War for the information of a board which will be appointed at Washington to determine finally the questions involved. THE WHITE HOUSE, April 30, 1910. WM H TAFT Military reservation restored to control of Government of the Philippine Islands. No. 1282. EXECUTIVE ORDER. It is Hereby Ordered that the lands on Biliran Island, Philippine Islands, reserved for military purposes by Executive Order of May 13, 1908 (G. O. No. 92, War Department, Washington, May 26, 1908), being no longer required for military purposes, be and the same are hereby placed under the control of the government of said Islands, to be administered for the benefit of the inhabitants thereof, as provided by Section 12 of the Act of Congress, approved July 1, 1902 (32 Stat. L., 691). THE WHITE HOUSE, January 10, 1911. Reservations of lands in the Philippine Islands. No. 1298. EXECUTIVE ORDER. WM H TAFT I. Pursuant to Section 12 of the Act of Congress, approved July 1, 1902, entitled "An Act temporarily to provide for the administration of affairs of civil government in the Philippine Islands, and for other purposes" (32 Stat. L., 695), the following properties of the United States, situate in the city of Manila, Philippine Islands, are hereby reserved and set apart for military purposes, subject to private rights, if any there be, either as new reservations or by way of modification of existing reservations, viz: FORT SANTIAGO AND THE ORDNANCE DEPOT. This reservation as made by Executive Order of June 29, 1904 (G. O. 125, W. D., July 20, 1904), and modified by Executive Order of May 17, 1905 (G. O. 77, W. D., May 27, 1905), is further modified so as to include the Plaza Moriones, and as thus modified it comprises an area of 5.91 hectares (about 14.6 acres), bounded on the north by the Pasig River, on the east and southeast by the street system of Manila, and on the west and southwest by the moat, with metes and bounds as follows: Beginning at point marked "1" on plan of survey of said reservation prepared in February 1905, marked 'Plan of Fort Santiago, Manila, P. I. to be reserved by the military authorities, U. S. A.," said point being the south corner of the building situated at the intersection of the northeast side of Plaza Moriones with the northwest building line of Calle Sta. Clara; thence southwesterly, with the northwesterly side of Calle Sta. Clara, to point marked "13" on said plan; thence S 56° 23′ W, a distance of 67.05 feet (20.44 meters), along end of rampart to point marked '14" on plan, said point being the most southerly point of the fort; thence N 33° 36' 15" W, a distance of 188.45 feet (57.45 meters), along the edge of the moat and at the base of the rampart, to point marked "15" on plan; thence S 56° 46' 15" W, a distance of 86.58 feet (26.40 meters), to point marked "16" on plan; thence N 71° 56' 45' W, a distance of 35.88 feet (10.94 meters), to point marked "17" on plan; thence N 1° 59′ 45′′ E, a distance of 38.48 feet (11.73 meters), to point marked "18" on plan; thence N 46° 57′ E, a distance of 29.40 feet (8.96 meters), to point marked "19" on plan; thence N 42° 52′ 30′′ W, a distance of 7.24 feet (2 21 meters), to point marked "20" on plan; thence N 48° 46' E, a distance of 10.40 feet (3.17 meters), to point marked "21" on plan; thence N 42° 26' 15" W, a distance of 379.26 feet (115.63 meters), to point marked "22" on plan; thence S 34° 07' 15" W, a distance of 26.25 feet (8.00 meters) to point marked "23-A” on plan; thence along the curve at the base of the bastion a distance of 14.74 feet (4.49 meters), to point marked “23-B" on plan, said point being N 89° 29′ 30" W, a distance of 14.08 feet (4.29 meters) from point "23-A"; thence N 25° 38' 45' W, a distance of 142.65 feet (43.49 meters), to point marked "24" on plan; thence N 60° 12′ 15′′ E, a distance of 31.11 feet (9.48 meters), to point marked "25 on plan; thence N 34° 15′ 15′′ W, a distance of 385.36 feet (117.49 meters), to point marked "26" on plan; thence S 54° 29′ 15′′ W, a distance of 7.68 feet (2.34 meters), to point marked “27" on plan; thence N 40° 22′ 30′′ W, a distance of 146.70 feet (44.73 meters), to point marked "28" on plan; thence S 51° 12′ W, a distance of 17.62 feet (5.37 meters), to point marked "29" on plan; thence N 18° 56' 30" W, a distance of 52.31 feet (15.95 meters), to point marked “29-A” on plan; thence along the curve of the wall a distance of 146.09 feet (44.54 meters), to point marked "30" on plan, said point bearing N 58° 26' 15" E, a distance of 112.91 feet (34.42 meters), from point "29-A"; thence S 79° 45' 30'' E, a distance of 98.54 feet (30.04 meters), to point marked "31" on plan; thence along the curve of the wall, a distance of 112.00 feet (34.15 meters), to point marked “32” on plan, said point bearing S 73° 24' 30" E, a distance of 66.70 feet (20.34 meters), from point "31"; thence S 60° 50′ 45′′ E, a distance of 110.95 feet (33.83 meters), to point marked "33" on plan; thence S 26° 08′ 45′′ W, a distance of 14.11 feet (4.30 meters), to point marked "34" on plan; thence S 66° 24′ 30′′′ E, a distance of 296.88 feet (90.51 meters), to point marked "35" on plan; thence S 69° 11′ 45′′ E, a distance of 60.00 feet (18.29 meters), to point marked "36" on plan; thence S 70° 04′ 15'' E, a distance of 180.11 feet (54.91 meters), to point marked "37" on plan; thence N 69° 04′ 45′′ E, a distance of 149.38 feet (45.54 meters). to point marked "38" on plan; thence S 72° 26' E, a distance of 154.53 feet (47.08 meters), to point marked "39" on plan; thence S 3° 58′ 30′′ E, a distance of 65.67 feet (20.02 meters), to point marked 40" on plan; thence S 79° 26' E. a distance of 66.26 feet (20.20 meters), to point marked "41" on plan; thence S 10° 32′ 30′′ W, a distance of 69.38 feet (21.15 meters), to point marked "42" on plan; thence N 82° 04′ 30′′ W, a distance of 17.18 feet (5.24 meters), to point marked "43" on plan; thence S 9° 25′ 15′′ W, a distance of 20.16 feet (6.15 meters), to point marked "44" on plan; thence S 46° 36′ 45′′ W, a distance of 123.17 feet (37.55 meters), to point marked “ '45" on plan; thence S 41° 52' 30'' E, a distance of 287.91 feet (87.78 meters), to point marked “ 46 " on plan; thence S 48° 22′ W, a distance of 236.90 feet (72.23 meters), to point marked "1" on plan, or the point of beginning. 66 The bearings are true, and are determined from the bearing of the last course of this survey (points "46" to "1"), as given in the map of Fort Santiago made under the direction of Captain William M. Harts, in March and April, 1903. Also the right of way for road and bridge for access over the moat and glacis to the Malecon Drive as now existing. PORT RESERVATION. The Executive Order of August 29, 1905 (G. O. 184, W. D., November 2, 1905), reserving certain parcels of newly reclaimed harbor lands, is modified so as to exclude certain portions of the lands so reserved, and to include other portions of the reclaimed area. The lands excluded from these parcels by this Order will pass to the control of the Government of the Philippine Islands to be administered for the benefit of the inhabitants of the Philippine Islands, under the provisions of said Act of Congress of July 1, 1902. As thus modified the reservation will comprise two tracts, as follows: Tract A. Tract A comprises Blocks numbered 24, 26, 31 and 32, including the portions of the streets and ways separating the same, as indicated on plan of reclamation, No. 1, Manila Harbor, P. I., surveyed during January, 1908, by Lewis P. Bailey, under the direction of the Director of Lands; comprising an Area of 5.801819 hectares (14.3365 acres). Tract B. Tract B comprises Block No. 25, as indicated on said plan; area, 7,104.88 square meters (1.756 acres); together with the Quartermaster's Dock in front of the same. ESTADO MAYOR AND CUARTEL DE INFANTERIA. The reservation of Estado Mayor, as made by Executive Order, dated May 17, 1905 (G. O. 77, W. D., May 27, 1905), is modified by adding thereto the Cuartel |