Mr. DAVIS. I wish simply to explain one point in this bill. One of the largest items of expenditure attending the construction of this canal will be the construction of a breakwater. The canal itself being but about a mile and a half long, of course the cost of its excavation will not reach the price of 200,000 acres of land. But when you come to construct a breakwater, for the purpose of affording protection for vessels entering the harbor, you will find the expense to be largely enhanced. I wish further to say that from the harbor of Milwaukee to the harbor of Chicago there is no safe harbor on the lakes. The harbor of Milwaukee is not a very safe harbor, and the harbor of Chicago is sometimes very difficult of approach when the wind is blowing in a certain direction. the commercc of the lakes requires for its safety and protection the creation of aharbor at some oint north of Milwaukee. This point to which this bill relates is about 250 miles north of Milwaukee, and from there, after you pass Green bay, there is no harbor until you come to the Manitou Islands, near the straits of Mackinaw. It is well known that the whole coast of Michigan, especially the western coast, is one of sand. The waters runnin into Lake Michigan from the west have their head within 15 miles of the lake, and consequently there are no large streams flowing into the lake so as to afford a harbor. The littleindentation at Milwaukee and one at another little point constitute the only har bors on that lake from Greenbay to Milwaukee and when you take into consideration that Greenbay itself is connected with rivers coming in from the south and southwest, by which the produce of that country is brought to market, you see that you will save 150 miles in passing from the mouth of Sturgeon buy up to the main entrance of Green bay. Another consideration is that in stress of weather vessels going south or north nia take this course and have safe inland navigation. It seems to me wise, and that the Government will be fostering its own interest, to have for the benefit of that commerce 100 or 200,000 acres of land. The time has passed when the Government can expect to make money directly from the sale of the public lands.