A GEOLOGICAL RECONNAISSANCE OF THE 

 DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. 



CHAPTER I. 



INTRODUCTION. 



By Thomas Wayland Vaughan. 



PRELIMINARY ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE GEOLOGIC SURVEY. 



On April 1, 1917, Rear Admiral H. S. Knapp, Military Governor of the 

 Dominican Republic, addressed to the Director of the United States 

 Geological Survey a request for an estimate of the cost of a complete 

 mensuration survey of the Republic and of supplemental mineralogical and 

 botanical investigations. The estimates requested were furnished to 

 Admiral Knapp, and after further correspondence it was agreed that the 

 direction of a topographic and geologic survey of the Republic should be 

 undertaken by the United States Geological Survey, the expense of the 

 work, except that of certain office and laboratory investigations, to be 

 borne by the Dominican Government. 



There is no adequate base map of the Dominican Republic, and as a de- 

 tailed geologic survey must be based upon detailed topographic maps more 

 thorough geologic studies must await the completion of the topographic 

 mapping; but as so little reliable information concerning the geology was 

 available it appeared necessary to make preliminary geologic examinations 

 before beginning more detailed work. Accordingly, on December 4, 1918, 

 the Director of the United States Geological Survey wrote to Admiral 

 Knapp a letter which contained the following paragraph : 



At present the geologic formations in Santo Domingo are not sufficiently well known 

 for purposes of geologic mapping, and not enough information is available on the mineral 

 resources of the island to make practicable the formulation of plans for careful study. 

 It therefore seems to me advisable to make a preliminary inspection of the Republic, and 

 to collect fossils, rocks, minerals, etc., for shipment to Washington, where the material 

 can be studied in connection with other investigations that are in progress. The 

 proper study of such collections and the comparison of them with material from other 

 parts of the West Indies, Central America, and the United States, would probably con- 

 sume more than a year. The office work on these collections could be prosecuted in 

 Washington without any expense to the Santo Domingo Government, if you are willing 

 to have the material become a part of the United States National Museum collections. 

 However, should a museum ever be established in Santo Domingo, the first set of dupli- 

 cate specimens could be sent as a beginning toward a local museum. The office studies 

 above outlined could be profitably done while the topographic survey is in progress 



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