REPORT OF THE COMPTROLLER OF THE TREASURY. xi

who are chiefly laborers and mechanics, have earned by their
toil the money due them, and they stand in much need of it now.
They relied upon prompt payment, and the delay has subjected
them to serious hardships. Whilst a matter of much importance
to them, the aggregate amount is not so large as to cause the
State any inconvenience should provision be made for its settle-
ment.

Disastrous freshets which have occurred since the last meeting
of the General Assembly have so far disabled the Canal that only
about three miles on the Georgetown level and a few miles near
Cumberland, both of which spaces were repaired by private en-
terprises, are now navigable.

The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal was one of the great works
which the State of Maryland undertook many years ago to foster
and develope. There can be no question that its construction
and use has greatly aided in the development of Western Mary-

land, and has added an amount greater than its entire cost to the
taxable wealth of the State. It would seem to be proper that
the General Assembly should consider whether any measures can
properly be taken for its restoration to usefulness. This is a
question in which the people of the entire State necessarily feel
a deep interest, and some speedy action should be taken by your,
honorable body to protect the State's interest, as well as the
interest of the unpaid laborers and mechanics who were employed
in this great work.

FOREIGN CORPORATIONS.

I respectfully recommend to your consideration the fact that

the mandate of the Constitution that " the Legislature, at its
first session after the ratification of this Constitution, shall pro-
vide by law for State and municipal taxation upon the revenue
accruing from business done in the State, by all Foreign Corpor-
ations," has not yet been complied with.

The taxation of Foreign Insurance Companies has been pro-"
vided for to some extent, but there are many other Foreign Cor-
porations doing business in this State, involving large property,
the taxation of which has not yet been provided for, and it is
very important that this be done at the present session.

UNPRODUCTIVE ASSETS.

Your attention is especially called to numerous items carried
on the books of the Treasury Department and supposed to form
part of the assets of the State. Those items are made up of va-