Kasson to the Vienna Foreign Office, November 25, 1879

Mr. Kasson to the Vienna Foreign Office.

Dear Baron Callice: Referring to our conversation on Monday, and your courteous offer to obtain for the use of a commission of the American Government, engaged in examining special questions of river improvement, certain information desired respecting like works in Austria, I submit to your kind mediation the following questions:

How many years have the Austrian and Hungarian Governments been engaged in systematic and permanent improvements of the Danube River to facilitate navigation?

What amount of money has been expended by the two governments for these permanent improvements?

What affluents of the Danube have been in like manner improved?

Has it resulted from these improvements that the expense of transportation of merchandise by the river has been perceptibly diminished? If so, what is the estimated percentage of such diminution of the charges as compared with charges previously made?

If the projected system of improvements of the Danube is incomplete, what further amount of money is it expected will be required for their completion?

If this information can be obtained in time to be communicated in December, it will especially meet the exigencies of the government commission.

I render in advance the acknowledgments due for your excellency’s kind intervention, and pray you to accept the assurances of the high consideration with which I remain, always—

Your excellency’s most obedient servant,