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published in the Worcester Magazine in 1826) is so explicit and in essential respects so intelligent that it seems to us his statement that the event transpired on the west side of the river mast be accepted without question. Yet Dawson, after examining numerous original authorities, all carefully cited in his footnotes, gives no suggestion of this; although he does not specifically say that the engagement occurred on the east bank. Again, the individual proceedings and performances of the two tire-ships are strangely confused by different narrators, the exact part borne by one in some accounts being assigned to its companion in others. Leaving aside the minuter details involving discrepancies, which after all are not very material-- and, indeed, the whole affair is of no distinct importance in its relation to the progress of general events, although exceedingly interesting as an episode, -- we shall confine ourselves to a brief statement of the essential facts, about which there are no disagreements. The advisability of converting small river craft into fire-ships to attack the enemy's war vessels received early consideration by the State convention after the advent of the British fleet. The subject

was assigned to a secret committee, whose practical projects were encouraged byWashington and also by General George Clinton. After the passage of the " Rose," " Phamix," and their tenders up the river, two fire-ships, or rafts, were fitted out and held in readiness atSpuyten Duyvil Inlet for a favorable opportunity. " The fire-ships," says Ruttenber, whose account is digested from the narrative of Captain Bass, "had been prepared with fagots of the most combustible kinds of wood, which had been dipped in melted pitch, and with bundles of straw cut about a fool long, prepared in the same manner. The fagots and bundles tilled the deck and hold as far aft as the cabin, and into this mass of combustible materials was inserted a match, that might be tired by a person in the cabin, who would have to escape through a door cut in the side of the vessel into a whaleboat that was lashed to the quarter of the sloop.