Of these, the first and second were to contain translations of the " Holland Documents ;" the third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth, the " London Documents ;" and the ninth and tenth, translations of the " Paris Documents." The publication of the work was commenced in 1853 by the issue of the third volume, or the first of the English series -- the translation of the papers to form the first and second volumes not having been then completed. The fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and ninth volumes were afterwards successively issued, all of them accompanied by foot notes by the translator.

It will be observed that no editor's name is attached to the third volume of the work -- the first which appeared as above stated -- the note on the back of the title page having been thought to afford sufficient information as to the manner of its publication ; but in the subsequent volumes the name of the translator was, by the permission of the State officers, affixed as editor.

At its session of 1856, the Legislature passed the following act

"AN ACT IN RELATION TO THE COLONIAL HISTORY OF THE STATE AND THE PUBLICATION AND DISTRIBUTION THEREOF. "Passed April 12, 1856, 'three-fifths being present.'

" The People of the State of New -York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows "Section 1. The publication of the documents relating to the Colonial history of the State, pursuant to chapter one hundred and seventy-five of the Laws of eighteen hundred and fortynine, shall be completed under the direction of the Regents of the University, who shall hereafter have the charge of the same, and of all things relating thereto, in place of and with the same powers as the officers named in said act.