The State of New York maintains its own canals. Conse-
quently it has, during the past five years, lost £1,020,000, or rather more than £200,000 a year, which is made up by taxation. The boatmen have recently complained that the tolls were too high, and Governor Tilden, looking into the subject, has dis- covered that the whole of this sum is stolen, the State being systematically swindled in the letting of contracts. The system is for the contractor to tender for certain repairs—say slope walls—at a very low rate, and for certain others—say vertical walls—at a very high one. His tender is accepted, and then the managers order all walls to be vertical, and share the hew profits. The Governor says he could save £200,000 a year by simple repairs, but he despairs of getting such a project accepted. It would not suit either the engineers or the jobbers. Cannot he induce the Legislature to farm out the canals, and so make it the jobbers' interest to get their profits legitimately ?
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