INTRODUCTION. 17 



Two resources that particularly deserve geologic study are the rock 

 available for constructing roads and buildings and the ground water. 

 Although some attention is devoted to these resources in this report, they 

 have received by no means the consideration they deserve. Precise 

 information concerning them will be gained and will become available as 

 rapidly as progress can be made in the detailed geologic studies. 



ACKNOWLEDGMENTS. 



It is a pleasure to record the efforts made by Rear Admiral Snowden and 

 the members of his staff, particularly Lieut. Commander Baughman, to 

 have all arrangements for the geologic work as nearly perfect as was prac- 

 ticable and to acknowledge the value of a note of general introduction given 

 to me by Monsignor Noel, Archbishop of Santo Domingo. So many cour- 

 tesies were shown us outside of Santo Domingo City that it is impracticable 

 to mention all who assisted us, in one way or another, in the prosecution of 

 our examinations. It therefore seems better to mention no names and 

 thereby to avoid making invidious distinctions. It can be said, however, 

 that wherever we went the officers of the United States Marine Corps, the 

 officers of the Guardia Nacional Dominicana, and the engineers of the 

 Departamento de Obras Publicas did all they could for us, and the same is 

 true of the local alcaldes. The people in the country were everywhere 

 kind, helpful, and hospitable, often refusing to accept remuneration for our 

 entertainment. Those of us who took part in the reconnaissance look back 

 with pleasant memories of the beautiful country we saw, the interesting 

 scientific experiences we had, and the agreeable human relations that were 

 ours while we were in the Dominican Republic. 



As the names of those who have contributed information for use in this 

 report are given elsewhere, it is here only necessary to say that this report 

 has been prepared in the offices of the United States Geological Survey and 

 in the United States National Museum without any expense to the Do- 

 minican Government. This work, however, was done in accordance with 

 the proposal made by the Director of the United States Geological Survey 

 in the letter already quoted. 



