Commission.

After luncheon a walking party was taken to the site of Fort Montgomery about a mile north of the Inn and shown the old fortifications which are now being restored by the Palisades Interstate Park Commission.

On October 28, a similar party assembled at Fraunces Tavern, at Broad and Pearl streets at 9.45 a. m., and were taken over the following itinerary: Through Broad and Beaver streets to Bowling Green; thence by subway to 110th street and the Cathedral of St. John the Divine; thence by subway to 157th street station and Washington's Headquarters in 160th Street; and thence by subway to Van Cortlandt Park and the Van Cortlandt Mansion. The trip was preceded by an address at Fraunces Tavern and others at the various stopping places along the route, generally by the Leader, the Secretary of this Society. At the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, the pilgrims were received by the Verger and Dean's Vicar and enjoyed a particularly impressive and profitable hour. At the entrance to the Cathedral Close, they were met by the late Verger, Mr. Charles F. Barnard, in his official gown, and conducted through the new Synod Hall and around the group of Cathedral buildings. Then they assembled in the Crossing of the Cathedral, where the Rev. E. Briggs Nash, Dean's Vicar, in his canonicals, made a brief address of welcome and offered a few short prayers. Mr. Barnard spoke from the steps leading to the Choir, describing the building of the Cathedral; and Dr. Miles Farrow played the great organ. After the Verger had ushered out the Dean's Vicar, he returned and conducted the visitors through the Seven Chapels of Tongues.

The value of such field-trips in acquainting the participants with natural facts and historical events was plainly evident on these two occasions. The members of the parties were cultured men and women, many of whom had traveled abroad, but who for the first time on these field-day trips saw certain notable features of their own state and certain historical landmarks in their own city. Innumerable expressions of interest and delight and inquiries when similar trips would be held gave ample testimony to the value of this form of combined educational and recreational work.

PUBLICATION OF COMMON COUNCIL MINUTES

In our Annual Reports for 1912, 1913, 1914, 1915 and 1916, we have printed in full the first two manuscript volumes of the Minutes of the Common Council of the City of New York since the Revolution. We do not give a further instalment of these extremely interesting and valuable records in the present Report for the reason that the City itself has now undertaken the publication of these hitherto unpublished archives.

The relation which these records bear to the whole series of minutes of the municipal government of New Amsterdam and New York may be judged from the following facts: The minutes of the Dutch Period, from 1653 to 1674, have been printed by the city in seven volumes, entitled "The Records of New Amsterdam from 1653 to 1674 Anno Domini." The minutes of the English Period, from 1675 to 1776, are comprised in seven manuscript volumes numbered from 1 to 8, both inclusive, which have been published by the city in eight volumes, entitled "Minutes of the Common Council of the City of New York, 1675-1776." There are no known records during the British military regime from 1776 to 1783. The Minutes from 1784 to 1831 are comprised in sixty-eight manuscript volumes in the City Clerk's office, numbered consecutively with those of the English Period from 8 to 75, both inclusive. Of the foregoing, volumes 8 and 9, covering the period from February 10, 1784, to August 20, 1790, are printed in the Annual Reports of this Society for 1912-1916. Volumes 10 to 75, both inclusive, have not been printed. There are imperfectly copied duplicates of volumes 8 to 54, inclusive, in the office of the Librarian of the City Clerk, but no duplicates of volumes 55 to 75. Since 1831 the transactions of the City Government have been printed regularly by the city except in 1871.

It will be seen therefore that the records from 1784 to 1831, which, with the exception of volumes 8 and 9 above mentioned, have never been printed, represent a period of extraordinary historical and civic interest. The transactions of the city government in the years immediately following the Revolution contain many allusions to sufferings and losses sustained and patriotic services rendered during the war, of which there is no other known record. But while these archives are more or less retrospective,

they are more especially forward-looking. The period which they cover was the Period of Reconstruction of New York city, after the devastation due to the great fire of 1776 and to occupation by the British. During this reconstruction period municipal improvements of a fundamental character and of very great importance were undertaken. This period includes the laying out of a great many streets, the granting of a great many titles to land and land under water, and other transactions which had an important effect on the physical development of the city, and the influence of which is felt to the present day. There is hardly a week in the course of the year in which the municipal authorities do not have occasion to consult these old records in connection with present transactions, involving large sums of money or extensive property rights; and lack of printed copies of such records has cost the city hundreds of thousands of dollars for research by paid attorneys whose services would have been lessened greatly if printed and properly indexed copies of the minutes had been at their service. As a single instance of the embarrassment caused by the want of such printed copies, we may cite the statement made on November 15, 1916, by Comptroller William A. Prendergast that the city had been obliged to write off $1,900,000 of taxes and assessments which had been erroneously levied by the city for lack of information about property lines, which information could have been had if the minutes has been published.

Since the fire in the Capitol at Albany on March 29, 1911. which destroyed priceless historical manuscripts, the American Scenic and Historic Preservation Society has been urging the printing of the unpublished Minutes from 1784 to 1831; and with a view to placing at least a portion of them beyond danger, while the City Government was deliberating on the publication of them all, the Society has printed the five installments before mentioned. During the past year, we are happy to report, the city has taken up this work in an ample and dignified way. On June 20, 1916, Mayor Mitchel addressed the following letter to the Board of Aldermen:

CITY OF NEW YORK

OFFICE OF THE MAYOR

To the Honorable, the Board of Aldermen:

June 20, 1916.

Gentlemen. I hereby respectfully request an authorization of $15,000 special revenue bonds to meet the cost of printing the manuscript Minutes of the Common Council of this City from February 10, 1784, to May 9, 1831.

Attention has frequently been called to the importance of having these documents printed, not only to insure their preservation, but to make them accessible both on account of their historical interest and for legal purposes, such as street-opening matters and land titles. They constitute the most important unpublished documents in the possession of the City and the only records of the Common Council which remain unprinted.

In 1897 the records of the Dutch Period, extending from 1653 to 1674, were edited and published in seven volumes under the direction of a committee appointed by Mayor William L. Strong. The members of the committee were James Grant Wilson, Isaac Townsend Smith, Edward F. De Lancey and William L. Stone. In 1895 the City made an appropriation of $7,000 to pay the expense of editorial service and printing.

The records of the English Period (1675-1776) were published in 1905 under the direction of a committee composed of members of the New York Historical Society appointed by Mayor Low in 1902. The members of this committee were Professor Herbert L. Osgood, Chairman; Frederic W. Jackson, Robert H. Kelby and Hiram Smith. An appropriation of $7,000 was also made at this time to cover the cost of editing and printing.

No records whatever have been preserved for the Revolutionary Period, 1776 to 1784.

Beginning with 1831, these proceedings have been published regularly; but for the period 1784 to 1831 the Minutes of the Common Council are still in manuscript, and as you are well aware, are kept in the City Clerk's office.

Historical societies and individuals interested in the preservation of valuable public records of the City have long urged that these Minutes be printed. Certain individuals are now proposing to publish them in part, with the hope of making a profit out of the undertaking. It seems to me this would be unfortunate, for they should be printed in full with all possible accuracy and care. Their publication should not be made a commercial matter in any sense, although it is possible that a considerable part of the cost might be returned to the City if the volumes were sold at a reasonable price.

Fortunately for the City, the services of a professor of history in one of the public high schools will be available for this work without additional expense. This gentleman's studies have made him thoroughly familiar with the manuscript volumes which it is proposed to publish. My inquiries indicate that he is admirably. fitted by training and scholarship to be entrusted with the important and difficult task of editing and publishing these records. It is my intention also, if agreeable to your Honorable Board, to appoint an advisory committee to supervise the work of editing and publishing and to aid in securing private subscriptions to the printed volumes. As members of this committee, I propose to appoint, in addition to representatives of the Board of Aldermen, representatives of the leading historical societies and educational institutions of the City. This, I am confident, will meet with general approval and will insure a satisfactory result with a minimum of expense.

It is not possible to determine in advance just what the expense will be, but estimates which I have caused to be made indicate that an appropriation of $15,000 should carry the work far toward completion. Approximately twenty-five volumes will be required. The publication of the records of the Dutch and English Periods cost about $1,000 per volume. Since our plan is to have as much of the work as possible done by those already in the employ of the City without additional compensation, I hope that $15,000 will be sufficient to cover all expenses.

Respectfully yours,

JOHN PURROY MITCHEL, Mayor.

The Board of Aldermen referred the Mayor's message to the Committee on Finance, consisting of the Hon. Messrs. Francis P. Kenney, William P. Kenneally, John Diemer, F. H. Stevenson, Samuel J. Burden, Charles P. Cole, Robert L. Moran, Michael Stapleton and Francis P. Bent, who held a hearing in the City Hall on June 26, 1916. At this hearing Mr. Paul C. Wilson, one of the Mayor's Secretaries; Hon. Victor H. Paltsits, formerly State Historian and present Keeper of Manuscripts of the New York Public Library; Dr. C. C. Williamson, Librarian of the Municipal Reference Library; L. N. Futter, Esq., of the Law Department of the City; and Dr. Edward Hagaman Hall, Secretary of the American Scenic and Historic Preservation Society, appeared before the Finance Committee in favor of the bond issue. The recommendation was favorably considered by the Finance