tion at Baltimore in the December following, and a committee was appointed to report on probable expense of completion of the canal, and committees to memorialize Congress and the legislatures of states interested in the work. The former committee brought in a report, which consisted of nothing more reliable than an expression of opinion based on former experiences, which gave the public to understand that the canal could be completed in two years with two million dollars.[1] The other states turning a deaf ear to the plea, Maryland came to the rescue, March 7, 1835, and appropriated the entire two millions needed.[2] It was granted in the form of a loan, the state reserving the power to convert it into capital stock at any future time if it was deemed expedient.
The company now took the steps which should have preceded the circulation of any opinion by friends of the canal as to the expense of completing it—a survey and estimate was made. This being done, it was found that the cost of completing the
