"I have many things to say, and I need your help and advice.
"Faithfully yours,
"Daniel Manning."
C. A. DANA TO A. H. GREEN
"'The Sun,' New York, Aug. 28, 1885.
"My dear Mr. Green,—If Mr. Tilden would add to the papers you gave me, the other day, some memoranda on the following questions, it would help me out a great deal.
"1. Would not the expense of deepening the canal, so as to add two feet to the depth of water, be very great? I understand that now, for a great part of its course, the bottom of the canal is composed, for about a foot depth, of clay and hydraulic cement packed closely, so as to prevent leakage; and would not the expense of taking this up and replacing it, after the bottom was dug up, be more serious than any calculation has yet allowed?
"2. How far does the fact that the lake transportation has almost entirely passed into the hands of railroad people, affect the probability of increasing the business of the canal, in case it should be deepened?
"3. Can the canal be maintained in the face of the increasing railroad competition?
"I do not want to trouble Mr. Tilden for any elaborate answers to these questions, but only for hints, such as his knowledge and experience can easily supply, and that I can make useful in discussing the points.