"WASHINGTON, D. C., _July 29, 1885_. "MY DEAR GOVERNOR,--Will you be at Greystone on the 7th of August? I want to see you, and perhaps I cannot find a better time than that day. I expect to leave here with Mrs. Manning and Miss Mary on the 6th or 7th, and will be compelled to remain in New York over the 8th. I am booked for Watch Hill for the 10th, to remain there two or three weeks. "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. "Yours sincerely, "C. A. DANA." D. MANNING TO GEORGE W. SMITH "215 STATE STREET, ALBANY, N. Y., _Aug. 30, 1885_. "DEAR MR. SMITH,--I am just back from Watch Hill. I want to see you, and will take the early train Wednesday morning, stopping off at Yonkers at 10.30 A.M. I expect to return to Washington next Thursday evening or Friday morning, and as I do not think I can come over again for some months, I will be glad of a chance for a long 'talk' with you. Please advise me by telegraph if it will be agreeable to see me about the hour named; or if some other hour on Wednesday or Thursday will be more convenient. "Faithfully yours, "DANIEL MANNING. "_Geo. W. Smith, Esq._ "How the papers do lie!" GEORGE W. SMITH TO DANIEL MANNING "_Telegram._ "The time you name will be agreeable. "G. W. SMITH. "Aug. 30/85. (Sat. 2.36 P.M.)." S. J. TILDEN, JR., TO S. J. TILDEN "NEW LEBANON, N. Y., _Sept. 2nd, 1885_.