63D CONGRESS, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. ( REPORT 3d Session. No. 1323. LIFE-SAVING STATION, DUXBURY REEF, CAL. JANUARY 26, 1915.-Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union and ordered to be printed. Mr. J. R. KNOWLAND, from the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, submitted the following REPORT. [To accompany H. R. 20977.] The Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 20977) to provide for the establishment of a life-saving station in the vicinity of Duxbury Reef, Cal., having considered the same, report thereon with amendment, and as so amended recommend that it pass. The bill as amended has the approval of the Treasury Department, as will appear by the letter attached and which is made a part of this report. Amend the bill as follows: Page 1, line 5, after the word "Reef," insert the words "or Bolinas Bay." Page 1, line 6, strike out the figures "$20,000" and insert in lieu thereof the figures "$12,000." TREASURY Department, CHAIRMAN COMMITTEE ON INTERSTATE AND FOREIGN COMMERCE, House of Representatives, Washington, D. C. SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter transmitting bill H. R. 20977, Sixty-third Congress, third session, "To provide for the establishment of a life-saving station in the vicinity of Duxbury Reef, Cal.," and asking for the views of the department concerning the bill. The matter was referred to the General Superintendent of the Life-Saving Service for his report, which has been received and is herewith transmitted with my con currence. Respectfully, W. G. McADOO, Secretary. TREASURY Department, Washington, January 25, 1915. The honorable the SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY. SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge your reference for report of the letter of the chairman of the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, House of Representatives, transmitting bill H. R. 20977, Sixty-third Congress, third session, "To provide for the establishment of a life-saving station in the vicinity of Duxbury Reef, Cal.," and asking for the views of the department concerning the bill. Duxbury Reef is about 10 or 12 miles above the Golden Gate, and extends from the ocean shore, on the north side of Bolinas Bay, seaward a distance of about a mile. The reef is low and at times is obscured by high seas and fogs, when it is most dangerous. More than half the vessels which have gone upon Duxbury Reef have, on account of its nature, been total losses. The large ocean commerce between San Francisco and points north which passes in and out of the Golden Gate is exposed to the dangers of this reef. There is in this office record of numerous disasters to vessels which have occurred in the vicinity of Duxbury Point, the most recent and deplorable of which disasters was the wreck of the American steamer Hanalei, November 23, 1914, which stranded on the reef. Forty-three of the 66 persons on board the Hanalei were saved; the vessel and cargo, valued at $62,500, were entirely destroyed. The work of the life-savers of the Point Bonita Life-Saving Station, the nearest to Duxbury Reef, and the Fort Point and Golden Gate Stations, in cooperation with the revenue cutter McCulloch, upon this occasion, in effecting the rescue of as many persons as they could, was highly commendable, but the distance of the wreck from the stations prevented earlier discovery of the vessel on the reef and quicker and more effective relief. If there had been a life-saving station at Duxbury Reef it is practically certain that every person on the Hanalei would have been saved, if, indeed, the stranding itself might not have been averted by the warning signals of a station patrolman. The following is a table of the casualties which have occurred in the vicinity of Duxbury Point during the last 10 years: I respectfully recommend the establishment of a life-saving station in the vicinity of Duxbury Reef, Cal., as provided by the bill under notice. Respectfully, S. I. KIMBALL, General Superintendent. O DIPLOMATIC AND CONSULAR APPROPRIATION BILL. JANUARY 26, 1915.-Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union and ordered to be printed. Mr. FLOOD of Virginia, from the Committee on Foreign Affairs, submitted the following REPORT. [To accompany H. R. 21201.] The Committee on Foreign Affairs, to which was referred the estimates for the Diplomatic and Consular Service for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1916, having carefully considered the same, report the accompanying bill with a recommendation that it do pass. A summary of the estimates for 1916 compared with the actual appropriations for 1915 and the proposed appropriations for 1916 follows: The total estimates submitted aggregate...... The total amount appropriated for the fiscal year 1915 was. The increase of estimates for 1916 over the appropriation for The total appropriation carried by the accompanying bill is. $4, 584, 682. 66 4,309, 856. 66 274, 826.00 4, 454, 370. 01 144, 513. 35 130, 312. 65 The changes made in the accompanying bill, as compared with the diplomatic and consular appropriation bill for 1915, are shown in detail by the table following: NOTE. The items "Compilation of Chinese treaties" and "International conference on maritime law" were previous appropriations extended by the 1915 law and were not included in the total amount carried by that bill. The foregoing items of increase were strongly recommended by the Department of State and were carefully considered by the committee, as shown by the hearings before the committee which have been printed. The committee also investigated the expenditures made and the work done by the several boards and commissions operating under the supervision of the Department of State, as shown by the printed hearings. The committee has made every effort to economize, where economy can be wisely applied, without impairing the efficiency of the excellent service rendered by the Department of State and the Diplomatic and Consular Service. Some increase has been made in the appropriations for secretaries and clerks of embassies and legations, and for the Consular Service, which is imperative, owing to the extraordinary conditions now existing and under the law for the improvement of the foreign service, recently passed by the Congress. The committee deems these increases wise and necessary. The letter of estimates and other communications from the Department of State are hereunto appended. TREASURY DEPARTMENT, OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY, Washington, January 15, 1915. My Dear Mr. FLOOD: With the approval of the President I submitted to the Secretary of State, on the 6th of November last, a suggestion that an invitation be extended to each of the Central and South American Governments to send to Washington its finance minister, or some duly accredited financier, for a conference with the Secretary of the Treasury, looking to an improvement in the financial relationship between the United States and the Central and South American countries, and that these Governments be invited, also, to send three representatives of the banking interests of each country to join in the conference. I also suggested that if the Central and South American Governments should be favorably disposed to the idea, the Secretary of the Treasury would invite representative American bankers to participate in the proposed conference. In my letter to the Secretary of State I expressed the con viction that improved financial relations between the Central and South American countries and the United States is of primary importance, and that the proposed conference would be productive of great good. The Secretary of State informs me that he has communicated with the various Governments concerned, and that the idea has been favorably received. I inclose a letter from the Secretary of State, bearing the approval of the President, suggesting the passage of a joint resolution authorizing the President to extend a formal invitation to the Central and South American Governments to participate in the proposed conference, and authorizing the Secretary of the Treasury to invite representative American bankers to attend. For the purpose of entertaining the foreign conferees an appropriation of $50,000 is requested. The unusual conditions prevailing throughout the world to-day make the proposed step exceedingly timely, and it should result in greatly improving and strengthening our relations-financial, commercial and social-with our neighboring Republics in Central and South America. In my first letter to the President the suggested date of the conference was February 1, but in view of the unavoidable delays which have occurred in the meantime it will be necessary to fix a later date. The joint resolution, therefore, authorizes the President to call the conference at such a date as he may think advisable. Permit me to suggest the desirability of prompt action in this matter, particularly in view of the fact that the various Governments with which the Secretary of State has already communicated have evinced a most cordial and friendly disposition in the matter. Faithfully, yours, Hon. HENRY D. FLOOD, W. G. MCADOO. Chairman Committee on Foreign Affairs, House of Representatives. The SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, SIR: On November 6 last, with the approval of the President, you suggested that informal inquiry be made of the Central and South American Governments for the purpose of ascertaining whether they would be willing to accept an invitation to have their respective ministers of finance and leading bankers, not exceeding three in number, attend a conference with the Secretary of the Treasury in Washington about February 1, with a view to establishing closer and more satisfactory financial relations between their countries and the United States. Recognizing the importance of the suggestion, I was glad to comply therewith. The replies which I have received from almost all of the Governments have been favorable, and the matter is now in such shape as to warrant the expectation that the invitation would receive general acceptance. |