COMMITTEES ON BEHALF OF THE GOVERNMENT 25 1 



intendent National Observatory; J. E. Hilgard, assistant United States Coast 

 Survey, acting Superintendent. 



" In accordance with article II, section 4, of the act of incorporation of the 

 Academy, Mr. Henry M. Mitchell, of the United States Coast Survey, (not a 

 member of the Academy), was appointed to assist in the investigation. 



" The committee, after a careful study of all the materials furnished by Don 

 Luis Molina, and those obtained from other sources, has arrived at conclusions 

 and are enabled to give suggestions, which, it is hoped, may be found of value to 

 the government of Nicaragua, and of importance in the commerce of the world. 

 The report of the committee points out the causes and progress of the deterioration 

 of the harbor of Greytown; considers the question of its partial restoration, and 

 the means to be adopted to attain this end. It also considers the problem of 

 increasing the depth and volume of water in the river as an essential condition 

 of the improvement of the entrance of the harbor, and presents a definite opinion 

 as to the results which may be expected when the works which are indicated 

 have been completed. It discusses the availability of the Colorado pass, and closes 

 with a recapitulation of all the conclusions. 



" I have the honor to remain, very truly, your obedient servant, 



" Joseph Henry, 

 " Vice-President of the National Academy. 

 " Hon. William H. Seward, 



" Secretary of State." 



There is little to add to Henry's summary of the report of the 

 committee, which report was published in full in 1867 as an 

 appendix of the Annual Report for the preceding year and gives 

 a good general idea of the operations of the committee."^ 



The committee did not visit Nicaragua, but formed its con- 

 clusions entirely from the documents and maps laid before it 

 by Molina. Its principal recommendation for the improvement 

 of the San Juan River and the harbor of Greytown will be 

 readily understood when the conformation of the lower portion 

 of the river is explained. At a point about 15 miles from the 

 coast it divides into two branches one of which retains the name 

 of San Juan, while the other is known as the Colorado. The 

 latter has by far the greater flow of water, is comparatively 

 unobstructed, and is open to navigation by steamboats at all 

 seasons of the year. The recommendation of the committee 



"Rep. Nat. Acad. Sci. for 1866, pp. 4-16, with one chart. 



