GREYMOUTH, a seaport of New Zealand, the principal port on the west coast of South island, in Grey county. It stands on the small estuary of the Grey or Mawhera river, has a good har bour, and railway communication with Hokitika, Reefton and Christchurch. The district is both auriferous and coal-bearing. The coal-mines have attendant industries in coke, bricks and fire clay. The timber, wool and flax trade is also well developed. GREYTOWN or SAN JUAN DEL NORTE, a port of Nicaragua on the Caribbean sea, at the mouth of the northern channel of the delta of the San Juan river, close to the Costa Rican border. Pop. about 600. Greytown was at one time the chief port of Nicaragua on the Caribbean, and between 18 5o and 187o, when the route across Nicaragua was the most comf ortuble and luxuri ous line of travel between eastern United States and California, was the terminus of the Atlantic steamers and the starting point of the river boats which carried travellers up the San Juan river, and across Lake Nicaragua, whence they took a 12 mile stage ride to the Pacific port of San Juan del Sur, to continue their journey to San Francisco. Bluefields was also, during the period of the British protectorate over the Mosquito coast, the leading port and the chief residence of the English ; the name by which the town is still known, Greytown, is the English designation, the official Nicaraguan name being San Juan del Norte. The loss of its prime position as a port is due to the shifting sands of the San Juan river, which have now virtually closed the northern delta entrance and left the Costa Rican and border channels the chief means of entry and exit to the river. In 185o, the channel at Greytown was 25 ft. deep, but by 1875 it had decreased to 5 ft., eliminating the site as a port of entry for sea-going vessels.
The harbour of San Juan del Norte was discovered by Colum bus, and was linked with the traffic into Nicaragua by Capt. Diego Machua, who in 1529 sailed down the San Juan river from the lake. In 1796, San Juan was made a port of entry by Spanish royal charter, and new defences were built just prior to the Independence, in 182I. The British seized the port in 1848, by virtue of their protectorate over the Mosquito coast, and held it until 186o, when, following the Treaty of Managua, the territory was turned over to Nicaragua.