p. 14

In the original bill drawn by the President of this company and which was taken as a basis by the committee who reported the original bill to the Legislature last winter, it is provided that the Register and Receiver be each entitled to receive one per centum of the amount by them received in payment for lands, and one percent on all moneys by them paid out in the manner provided by law, and fees for other special duties; which compensation would always be proportional to the amount of business which they must necessarily transact. Also in that bill a commission of appraisers was provided for with a compensation of three dollars per day for the time actually employed. Establishing this as the mode of payment, the Register and Receiver would this year receive about one hundred and thirty dollars each as percentage; and perhaps as much more for fees which it is believed would be a fair compensation for the services rendered. And as regards the acting commissioner he, having had no appropriate services to perform would consequently be entitled to no compensation. Whenever a loan shall have been obtained, the acting commissioner will have some duties to perform; but on a canal of the extent of this they will never be arduous, and it is believed that three dollars per day for the time devoted to the public service will command the services of any of our ablest men who feel an interest in the success of the canal-If these prices were this year paid, instead of the salaries allowed by law-the whole amount chargeable to the canal fund for commissioners salaries would be about $266.00 instead of $3200, making a saving of $2,940.00 without any detriment to the public service. Again,

In the 15th section of the act of February last it is enacted that "the Governor by and with the advise and consent of the council shall appoint a competent and skillful engineer who shall be known as the chief engineer whose salary shall be three thousand dollars per annum." which provision presents two subjects worthy of consideration;-