666 



PUBLIC DOCUMENTS. 



time. The boundary given in this extends from a 

 point just east of Monte Christi, on the north shore 

 of the island, in a nearly north and south line, to a 

 point on the south shore nearly opposite the island 

 of Alta Vela. Whether the Commission be right or 

 wrong in judging that any infringement on the Do- 

 minican country has been based on usurpation, and 

 is therefore null, the claim to any such line as that 

 above indicated must seem preposterous to any one 

 at all conversant with Dominican or Haytian af- 

 fairs. The town of Monte Christi, which, by-the- 

 way, should be under Haytian control, was, at a re- 

 cent visit of a member of the Commission, found to 

 be inhabited by a Spanish-speaking people with Do- 

 minican authorities, and no one seemed to be at all 

 aware that it had been claimed since 1844 by any 

 other government than the Dominican. As to the 

 Benica valley and the Neyba district, the people 

 claimed to be Dominicans, and, by all that could be 

 learned, have never considered themselves other- 

 wise. The commissioners made inquiries regarding 

 the foundations for Haytian claims outside the line 

 of 1777, both of intelligent persons living in Hayti, 

 and of the Haytian ex-President Geffrard, now in ex- 

 ile, residing in Jamaica, and from neither source 

 could they obtain any direct or presumptive evidence 

 for the Haytian title, nor could they learn of any 

 thing which could be construed into an acknowledg- 

 ment of it by any Dominican government. The com- 

 missioners were informed by the Dominican authori- 

 ties that the Haytian Government had more than 

 once oifered to purchase the territory in dispute, but 

 this the inhabitants o^Hayti above mentioned deny. 

 The only claim to this district which the Haytian 

 Government could urge would be based on an occu- 

 pation by Haytians of a portion of the Dominican 

 Kepublic, whose government had not been able to 

 oust them by force. The extent of Dominican terri- 

 tory within the old boundary of 1777 is found, by a 

 new and careful computation, made under the direc- 

 tion of the commissioners, to be 22,212 square miles. 

 The portion of this already referred to as having been 

 mainly in Haytian occupancy has an extent of about 

 1,000 square miles. 



The Commission, as directed by the resolution of 

 Congress, made diligent inquiry to ascertain "what 

 proportion of the territory is covered by foreign 

 claims, or by grants and concessions, and generally 

 what concessions and franchises have been granted, 

 with the names of the respective grantees." The 

 following list, condensed from an official statement 

 furnished by the Dominican Secretary of State, which 

 will be found in the accompanying documents, and 

 confirmed by the testimony, gives an answer to the 

 inquiry : 



A grant to J. W. Fabens, or a company organized 

 for the purpose, dated July 3, 1868, of a portion of 

 the public lands, on condition of malung a geological 

 survey. This is a contract authorizing Fabens, by 

 himself or any company organized for the purpose, 

 to make a geological examination and survey of all 

 the provinces and districts at the expense of the said 

 company, reports to be made every three months, as 

 the survey progresses, to the Dominican Govern- 

 ment, to enable it to offer for sale the mineral and 

 agricultural lands of the localities examined ; also an 

 annual report ; said company to receive one-fifth of 

 the public lands so surveyed, excepting coal-lands, 

 to be set apart as the quarterly reports are rendered. 

 This survey is now in progress. The parties owning 

 the franchise and paying the expense are chiefly New 

 York capitalists. The testimony of the geologist in 

 charge of the survey, Prof. Gabb, giving details on 

 the subject, and his annual reports, are herewith sub- 

 mitted, together with a copy of the original contract. 



A grant to R. M. Funkhouser, of New York, Octo- 

 ber 7, 1868, for a line of mail-steamers between New 

 York and New Orleans and the Dominican Republic, 

 with a provision that five per cent, of the import ana 

 export dues on all merchandise carried by said line 



be allowed to the owners of the steamers. This line 

 is now run by Spofford Brothers, of New York. 



A grant to Ed. H. Hartmont to take guano from 

 the island of Alta Vela, in consideration of a loan of 

 May, 1868. 



A grant to Fr. H. Fisher, of New York, September 

 9, 1869, for building a railroad from Santiago to Yura 

 or Samana Peninsula. 



To Felix Montecatini, August 3, 1867, renewed and 

 extended April 5, 1870. 



To Shumacher and Angenard for a railroad from 

 Oseama River to San Cristobal. 



To Julian Grangerard, June 3, 1870, for building a 

 railroad from Azua to Las Caobas. 



To Levi Guilame, November 5,1870, for construct- 

 ing telegraph-lines necessary in the republic. 



To Charles Baez, May 18, 1870, for rent of salt- 

 works at Bani. 



To Telesfore Volta, for salt-works at Beata Island. 



To W. L. Cazeneau. May 28, 1866, to introduce im- 

 migrants and establish colonies. (Void.) 



To Davis Hatch, September 27, 1866, for working 

 rock-salt mines of Neyba and building railroad there- 

 to from shore at Barahona. (Void.) 



To P. A. Delgardo, to take guano from Alta Vela. 

 (Void.) 



To E. H. Hartmont, February 1, 1869, for building 

 railroad from Monte Christi to Santiago and the Yura, 

 river donation lands bordering the road to be made 

 by special grant. (Void.) 



To Edward Prime and Edward P. Hollister, July 

 4, 1869, extended September 2, 1869, to establish a 

 national bank. (Void.) 



To E. H. Hartmont, to work the Samana coal-mines 

 in case a loan of 420,000 should be effected. (Void.) 



To the Industrial and Progressive Company, No- 

 vember 5, 1866, to work the copper-mine atElCobre, 

 St. Cristobal; to W. L. Cazeneau, January, 18, 1867, 

 copper-mine at Monte Mateo, St. Cristobal, and to 

 the same, July 12, 1869, copper-mine atMano Matuey 

 and at Loma de la Basa de Diamante, St. Cristobal. 

 The last three were consolidated under the law of 

 August 10, 1870, to Cambiaco & Co. October 24, 

 1867, copper-mine at Boca de Cuajo, Upper Haina, 

 St. Cristobal, to St. Domingo Company Geological 

 Survey Company, February 25, 1870 the mining 

 circuit Buenaventura, Upper Haina, San Cristobal, 

 by virtue of geological survey ; to be modified to 

 conform to geological contract. 



To Felix Montecatini, March 17, 1867, mining dis- 

 trict in Cuajo, San Cristobal (void), renewed to Shu- 

 macher and Argenard, July 28, 1870. 



To San Domingo Company, September 1C, 1870, 

 mining district of Carnee. 



The Dominican Government has made no grant or 

 concession of land to any foreign government or na- 

 tion except the United States. 



To the grants to foreigners by the government 

 above enumerated must be added some by munici- 

 palities. Of these, the only ones which seem to the 

 Commission to require notice here are those to cer- 

 tain parties, citizens of the United States, of lands 

 and lots in the village of Santa Barbara, on the Bay 

 of Samana, granted by the authorities of that town 

 from its property, as follows : 



To J. P. O'Sulhvan, December 1, 1868, of 930 feet 

 fronting on the harbor, and extending back several 

 hundred feet, varying in depth in different parts, at 

 sixty-two dollars per annum rent for twenty-one 

 years ; also eighty-four feet and ninety feet to the 

 same at four dollars rent for each. December 11, 

 1869, these leases are made perpetual, provided there 

 be no law to prevent the same. 



To J. W. Fabens, December 11, 1869, of 1,683 feet, 

 fronting on the harbor, inperpetuitv, at one hundred 

 and twelve dollars per annum. These grants cover 

 a large part of the unoccupied available front of the 

 harbor. 



There was also a lease bv the municipal govern- 

 ment of the city of St. Domingo of a wharf front, of 



