House, and the antiquated Spanish systems were replaced by the modern American telegraphs. In Cuba alone a telegraphic network of 3,000 miles was built, operated, and transferred without friction to the Cuban Government after nearly $150,000 of line receipts during military occupation had been deposited in the Cuban treasury. Through Colonel Allen of his corps, he officially reported to the presi- dent on the very day of its arrival the presence of Cervera's fleet at Santiago, thus rendering possible the ensuing campaign which ended the Spanish-American war. The International Telegraph Conference having made no provision for cables in war, General Greely successfully formulated and acceptably enforced regulations for the operation, destruction and censorship of submarine cables. Of his work the War Commission officially reported : "The Chief Signal officer, and the officers and men under his command were equal to every emergency, and the work was so quickly and successfully done that there has not been a complaint filed from any source. Officers have without exception complimented in the highest terms the efficiency and courage of the corps."
In the Philippines, under his direction, there were installed 10,450 miles of cables and land lines, connecting fourteen of the largest islands and enabling effective administration from Manila for the first time in the history of the archipelago. In China the American Signal Corps, first of the seven allied armies, carried its telegraph line into Peking. In Alaska a system of nearly 4,000 miles of cables, land lines and wireless plants has been completed connecting this territory with the United States by an all-American route.
The General Court of Massachusetts extended to Lieutenant Greely the thanks of the Commonwealth, "for his courage as a soldier, his enterprise as an explorer and intrepidity as a commander in solving geographical problems involving the progress of mankind in science and civilization."
General Greely gives much time to patriotic, educational and scientific affairs for the public good. Largely by his efforts the Washington City free library, the first in the national capital, was established in 1895, and maintained until 1897, when it was merged into the new Washington public library after having circulated nearly 400,000 volumes. He is a member of the Institut Colonial International, the American Historical Association, and the Cosmos club. He was honorary vice-president of the Sixth International Geographi-
