26 



JOURNAL OF THE JOINT COMMISSION. 



JOURNAL OF THE JOINT COMMISSION. 



Paso del Norte^ Decemher 4j 1854. 



The undersigned^ commissioners respectively on tlie part of tlie United States of Ameri 

 and of the Mexican republic to run and mark the boundary line between the two countries^ 

 according the treaty concluded in the city of Mexico on the 30th day of 



December, 1853, met 



formally 



meeting: in the same 



exchanged credentials, they proceeded to discuss and arrange the business upon which they 

 were called together Jjy their respective governments. 



Both parties being ready to commence operations, and there heing no difference of opinion upon 

 the scientific and practical manner of determining the boundary between the two countries, it 

 was agreed that each should proceed, with all the means at his disposal, to determine the 

 initial point of said boundary on the Kio Grande, which the treaty stipulated to be at the 



north latitude. It was further agreed that as soon as each party ascertained 

 both parties should compare notes and eliminate any differences or errors, by 

 snown to science, and conclude the final result, giving to each set of obser- 



4^ 



methods 



vations the weight due to them. 



There being no other business before the 

 commissioner should signify to the other tha 

 determine where the parallel of 31° 4*7' north 



meet when either 



G 



W. H. EMOllY. 



JOSE SALAZAK Y LAEREGUI. 



Eio Grande, Latitude 31° 47 



Ou the 



commissioners 



observations necessary to 



four 



determine the initial point of the boundary on the Eio Grande, met this day to compare 

 results. The necessary measurements being made to connect the two observatories, and also 

 the observatory established at Frontera'in 1851-'52, it was ascertained that the difference 

 between the determinations of the parallel of 31° 47', made by the two commissions, was eighty- 



hundredths of one second. It was then mutually agreed to take the mean between the 

 two results ; and the point thus ascertained was marked on the ground in presence of both 

 commissioners, as the point where the parallel of 31° 47' strikes the river ; that is to say, the 

 point where the boundary under the treaty of December 30, 1853, leaves the river to run 



westward. 



The commission adjourned, to meet to-morrow at 10 o'clock a. m. 



JOSE SALAZAE Y LAEEEGUI. 

 W. II. EMOEY. 



Eio Grande, Latitude 31° 47', January 11, 1855. 



The commission met and laid off the tangent to the parallel of 31° 47', and having agreed 

 upon the elements assumed for the figure of the earth, (Bessel's,) and compared the results oi 

 their computations for the length and azimuth of tke ordinates connecting the tangent with 

 the parallel, found them to correspond. 



