The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 94, July 1990 - April, 1991 Page: 556
692 p. : ill. (some col.), maps, ports. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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Southwestern Historical Quarterly
omit any discussion of Mexico's role on the river due mostly to the pau-
city of Mexican documents and source materials.2 The present percep-
tion of the boundary survey, however, suggesting all significant work
was accomplished by the United States scientific teams with the Mexi-
can engineers acting in a limited capacity as the Americans' auxiliary, is
inaccurate.?
Recent research using previously unavailable Mexican documents in-
dicates an active Mexican commission engaged on the Rio Grande." In
1955), 23-28, 80-92; Joseph Richard Werne, "Partisan Politics and the Mexican Boundary
Survey, 1848-1853," SHQ, XC (Apr., 1987), 329-346; Joseph Richard Werne, "Pedro Garcia
Conde: el trazado de limites con Estados Unidos desde el punto de vista mexicano (1848-
1853)," Hstorza Mexzcana, XXXVI (juho-sept., 1986), 113-129; Joseph Richard Werne,
"Guadalupe Hidalgo and the Mesilla Controversy" (Ph D. dlss., Kent State University, 1972),
51-62, 104-111; Ronnie C. Tyler, The Big Bend. A History of the Last Texas Frontier (Washing-
ton, D.C.. National Park Service, U.S. Dept. of the Interior, 1975), 75-101; Ronnie C Tyler
(ed.), "Exploring the Rio Grande. Lt Duff C. Green's Report of 1852," Arizona and the West, X
(Spring, 1968), 43-60.
2The following Mexican scholars discuss some aspects of the boundary survey, but are virtu-
ally silent on the Rio Grande portion- Francisco R. Almada, Resumen de hzstona del estado de Chz-
huahua (Mexico, D.F" Libros Mexicanos, 1955), 231, 240-243; Alberto Maria Carreflo, La dz-
plomacza extraordznarza entre Mdxzco y Estados Unidos, 1789-1947 (2 vols., Mexico, D.F.. Editorial
Jus, 1961), I, 21-33; Alberto Maria Carreflo, Mixico y los Estados Unzdos de Amerca ... (Mexico:
Imprinta Victoria, 1922), 271-283; Juaquin D. Casasus, El Chamizal demanda, replica, alegato, e
mformes (Mexico: Tip. y Lit La Europea, 1911), 1-106, Francisco Dominguez Diaz, Medico y la
hzstorzalunrdca de algunos de sus desmembramzentos terrtorales (Mexico, D.F.: Umversidad Nacional
Autonoma de Mejico, 1977), 431-440; Humberto Escoto Ochoa, Integrac6n y deszntegracz6n de
nuestrafrontera norte (Mexico, D.F.: n.p., 1948), 115-149; Antonio Gomez Robledo, Mexco y el
arbitrae internaczonal (Mexico: Editorinal Porrua, 1965), 161-169; Horacio Herrera, "Estudio
sobre el limlte internacional terrestre de los Estados Unidos de Norte America con la Reptiblica
Mexicana," Boletin de la Soczedad Mexzcana de Geografia y Estadistca (BSMGE), LXV (Enero-
Febrero, 1948), 171-187, Miguel A. Sanchez Lamego, "Agustin Diaz, ilustre cart6grafo mexi-
cano," Hstorza Mexzcana, XXIV (abril-junio, 1975), 557-565; Francisco de P. Ponce, "Nuestros
limites con los Estados Unldos del Norte," BSMGE, III, Quinta Epoca (19o8), 145-156; Pedro
C. Sanchez, "Determinaci6n de la extension hneal del meridiano 98. W. de Greenwich en la
porc16n ocupada en el territorio mexicano, de la bahia de Chacahua, en el Pacifico, a las mar-
genes del Rio Bravo, en la frontera con los Estados Unidos," BSMGE, VIII, Quinta Epoca
(Julio y Agosto, 1918), 111-127; Jorge Anibal Vargas Silva, El caso del Chamzzal (Mexico, D.F.:
Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, 1963), 48-51; Luis G. Zorrilla, Hstorza de la rela-
ciones entre Mixaco y los Estados Unidos de America, I8oo- 1958 (2 vols., Mexico: Editorial Porrua,
1977) I, 335-365; Luis G Zorrilla, Monumentac6n de la frontera norte en el szglo XIX (Mexico:
Secretaria de Relaciones Exteriores, 1981), 13-14-
'On several occasions Emory commented on the inferiority of the Mexican scientific equip-
ment and the dilatoriness of the Mexican commission Scholars most frequently cite the state-
ment m his Report, I, 5 In 1852 and 1853 he expressed concern whether the Mexicans would
be able to complete a survey of the Rio Grande. During the Gadsden work he complained of
Salazar's absence from the line but was sympathetic with the Mexican commissioner's problems.
There are elements of truth in all of Emory's complaints, and some are supported by Salazar's
own comments, but the important question concerns whether or not the Mexican engineers
carried out an independent and viable study. It is now clear they did, completing several sec-
tions of the boundary. Despite serious instrument problems in California the Mexican scientists
performed an independent survey and had a positive impact on the location of that line. See
Harry P. Hewitt, "The Mexican Boundary Survey Team: Pedro Garcia Conde in California,"
Western Historical Quarterly, XXI (May, 1990), 171-196. Francisco Jim6nez led an independent
scientific expedition down the lower Gila River in 1851. Important work was performed on the
Rio Grande in 1851, 1852, and 1853, and on the Gadsden survey in 1855.
4The author extends his sincere appreciation to Ing. Luis Cabrerra, then director of Limites
y Aguas Internacionales in the Secretaria de Relaciones Exteriores, who was gracious enough
to allow consultation of the pertinent documents located in the archives of his department.556
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 94, July 1990 - April, 1991, periodical, 1991; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101214/m1/634/: accessed April 19, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.