assisted in administering the affairs of the American Section by the two members of the Permanent Council. During the fiscal year 1955 the United States was represented on the American Section of the Permanent Commission by Maj. Gen.. Philip B. Fleming, United States Army, Retired, chairman to August 24, 1954; Brig. Gen. Emerson C. Itschner, United States Army, ex-officio member and chairman from August 25, 1954; Brig. Gen. Gordon R. Young, United States Army, Retired; Col. Spencer Cosby, United States Army, Retired; Maj. Gen. Glen E. Edgerton, United States Army, Retired; Rear Adm. Wm. H. Smith, United States Navy, Retired; Col. C. L. Hall, United States Army, Retired; Maj. Gen. Lewis A. Pick, United States Army, Retired; Maj. Gen. John S. Bragdon, United States Army, Retired; and Col. F. H. Falkner, Corps of Engineers, United States Army. Colonel Falkner served as Secretary of the American Section. On January 1, 1955, Brig. Gen. Theron D. Weaver, United States Army, Retired; Dr. Serge G. Koushnareff, deputy director, Transportation Utilities Division. Bureau of Foreign Commerce, United States Department of Commerce; Mr. J. Alex Crothers, director, Port Development Department, Delaware River Port Authority; and Mr. Robert W. Abbett, Tippetts-Abbett-McCarthy-Stratton, engineers, replaced Colonel Cosby, General Edgerton, General Young, and Admiral Smith, as regular members of the Commission, in accordance with an agreement approved August 24, 1954, by the Secretary of State and the Secretary of the Army, regarding procedures and policies governing the operation of the American Section of the PIANC. Colonel Cosby and General Young, because of their long active and devoted service on the Commission, were elected as honorary members of the Commission Representation on the American Section of the Permanent Council was by General Fleming and Colonel Hall. The annual meeting of the Permanent International Commission was held in Paris, France, on June 7, 1955, when the United States was represented by Brig. Gen. Theron D. Weaver, chairman: Dr. Serge G. Koushnareff; Dr. Lorenz G. Straub, director of St. Anthony Falls Hydraulic Laboratory and dean of the University of Minnesota: Lt. Gen. T. B. Larkin, United States Army, Retired; Maj. Gen. Miles Reber, United States Army; and Col. Henry Walsh, Corps of Engineers, United States Army. The principal business of this meeting was to select the subjects to be discussed at the next congress which will be held in London, England, in 1957, and consider a proposal to establish a Pacific and Indian Regional Office within the present PIANC organization. Semiannual bulletins Nos. 39 and 40 containing technical articles on waterway problems of international interest were distributed to all members of the American Section, and to Federal agencies concerned with maritime matters. The Secretary of the American Section issued five newsletters at irregular intervals to all corporate and individual members, informing them of the activities of the association and citing matters of technical interest. The membership of the American Section on June 30, 1955, totaled 666 consisting of 58 corporate members and 608 individuals, an increase of 58 in individual memberships and 37 corporate memberships. Federal funds, limited to $5,000, were expended as follows: Annual United States contribution to the association_. Total expenditures to June 30, 1955Estimated outstanding obligations__. Total_. $1,500.00 1,038. 19 481.55 3,019. 74 1,980. 26 5,000.00 The past year was marked by a major reorganization of the American elements participating in PIANC. The agreement signed by the Secretary of State and the Secretary of the Army on August 24, 1954, provided for delegation of authorities to the Chief of Engineers, United States Army, and the Director, Office of Transport and Communications Policy, Department of State, and clearly defines their responsibilities and provides for expeditious handling of PIANC affairs. The agreement also established an official relationship between the United States members of the Permanent International Commission and the American Section as well as prescribed specific terms of office. In accordance with this Agreement, on November 8, 1954, the Chief of Engineers approved rules and regulations for the American Section. The principal result of these two documents has been to extend greater opportunities for non-Federal maritime and inland waterway interests to participate with the Federal Government in the international exchange of technical information. INTEROCEANIC CANAL SURVEYS The proposed canal route across Nicaragua extends from Brito on the Pacific via the Rio Grande Lake Nicaragua, the Rio San Juan, and the Rio Deseado to Greytown on the Atlantic, and is 173 miles. long. A survey of the Nicaragua route was made in 1901, and Public Resolution 99, 70th Congress, approved March 2, 1929, authorized a further survey to bring the data up to date, as well as an investigation of additional facilities needed at the Panama Canal, to be made underthe direction of the Secretary of War and supervision of the Chief of Engineers, with the aid of such civilian engineers as the President deemed advisable. The President appointed the Interoceanic Canal Board to assist the Chief of Engineers. The Governor of the Panama Canal made the investigation at Panama, and a provisional battalion of United States engineer troops made the survey in Nicaragua. The report of the Chief of Engineers, together with the reports: of the Interoceanic Canal Board, of the Governor of the Panama. Canal, and of the officer in charge of the survey, was submitted on December 5, 1931, and published in House Document 139, 72d Congress, 1st session. Appropriation for the investigation and survey was $150,000, all of which had been expended by the end of the fiscal year 1943. The River and Harbor Act, approved June 20, 1938, authorized the Secretary of War to continue the gathering of hydrological data in Nicaragua under the supervision of the Chief of Engineers as recommended in House Document 139, 72d Congress, 1st session, and such incidental expenses as may be necessary in connection therewith are to be paid from appropriations hereafter made for examinations,. surveys, and contingencies of rivers and harbors. Collection and compilation of hydrological and meteorological data was continued by the Inter-American Geodetic Survey, under the supervision of the Chief of Engineers, in conjunction with its other activities. During the past fiscal year the collection of these data has involved the operation within the watershed of Lake Nicaragua of a number of rainfall stations, also stations for collection of evaporation data, recording lake levels, recording barometric pressure and humidity, and for gaging wind velocity and temperature. The expenditures for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1955, were $9,481.13, from appropriations made for general investigations, collection and study of basic data. The sum of $1,415 has been allotted for continuing the operations until September 30, 1955, when the program for the collection of basic hydrologic data will be terminated. 1693 |