Kasson to To the envoy extraordinary and, January 17, 1880

No. 32. Mr. Kasson to Mr. Evarts.

Sir: In continuation of the subject of my No. 269, I have now to advise the receipt, from the foreign office at Vienna, of final replies to the interrogatories which I addressed to it in furtherance of the wishes of the Mississippi River Commission, as represented by Captain Eads upon the occasion of his recent tour of investigation in Eastern Europe.

Herewith are full copies of the correspondence. I send that of the Austro-Hungarian Government only in the translations which were made in this legation. As the originals do not relate to any question between the two governments, it does not appear necessary, or even useful, to transmit for the commission copies of the German text.

From these replies to my request for information, it appears that this government began the systematic improvement of the Austrian Danube—377⅓ kilometers in length—in the year 1850.

The plan was to cut off the lateral arms of the river and confine the stream within embankments, giving to the river “an equal normal breadth, according to its nature.” It will require many years yet to complete the work proposed.

Upon the Austrian Danube have been already expended 45,350,000 florins. But of this sum, 30,600,000 florins have been devoted to the Vienna stretch of the river, of which sum only one-third is furnished by the general government; one-third by the provincial and one-third by the city governments, as having a more special interest in the local improvements. It is estimated that at least 15,000,000 more will be required in the prosecution of the work along the Danube.

Upon the affluents of the Austrian Danube, in the same period, have been expended 4,370,000 florins.

The work of systematic improvement of the Hungarian Danube was commenced in the year 1871, upon the stretch of river at Bud a Pesth. Here and elsewhere have already been expended 13,300,000 florins by the Hungarian Government; and the expenditures are to be continued on the plan already adopted—of closing lateral channels and the erection of embankments—for which 44,000,000 florins additional are estimated.

Upon the Hungarian affluents of the Danube have been expended already over 9,930,000 florins, chiefly to prevent inundations. The effect of these expenditures towards the reduction of rates of transportation in both parts of the empire appears as yet to be conjectural. While they have given increased facilities to commerce, it would seem that wherever rates have been lowered it is rather attributable to railroad competition than to the improvements of river navigation. In connection with this subject is also to be considered the fact that a wealthy chartered corporation almost exclusively controls the navigation of the Danube.

Begging that the Department will cause the commission, through Captain Eads, to be advised of the reception of these papers—

I have, &c.,