That opinion may be thus stated : when preparations were being made by General Howe, for the military occupation of the City of New York, before any movement for that purpose was actually made, these ships were moved up the Hudson-river, on the opposite side of the island, for the purpose, as General Howe subsequently informed the Home Government, of drawing the attention of the Americans to that side, while the real operations were to be made on the other side. In short, the movement, on that occasion, was, primarily, a feint ; but it had served, also, to command the lower portion of the river ; to prevent the retreating Americans from removing their stores or heavy guns, from the City to Kingsbridge, by water ; and, therefore, to throw into the hands of the Royal Army, both stores and guns which the Americans could ill-afford to lose. Subsequent to the establishment of the former, in the City of New York, the Squadron, at its anchorage, off Bloomingdale, had effectually covered the left flank of the enemy's lines, which, without such a protection, would have been negligently exposed to the well-known enterprise of the Americans ; and, as far as we have seen it, there is not the slightest evidence that the Squadron had been engaged in any other service. At the time now under notice, General Howe was again preparing to move his great command, at that time, by way of the Sound, into Westchcster-county ; and he did no more, concerning that Squadron, in that connection, than he had done, in the former instance, when he had moved that command from Long Island to the City of New York -- he caused it to be moved further up the river, evidently, again, in order "to draw the enemy's" l_the Americans'^ " attention to that side," while he and his command should effect a landing, on the other side of the County, with lesser opposition and difficulty ; and it is not improbable, in view of the recognized purposes of General Howe, in proposing to move his command into Westchester-county, that it was expected, also, to cover that flank of the Army,