stretched along the Cross Road past the hill on which Washington stood, men took to the stone-fences and some to the cornfield, and fired at the British approaching from the direction of the Post Road. It was impossible, however, to preserve the semblance of any formation and after a short stand the troops gave way. Col. Tench Tilghman, aide-de-camp of Washington, in a letter to his father, dated the next day, says of Washington that “he laid his cane over many of the officers who shewed their men the example of running." Gen. Heath says in his diary under date of September 15: "Here it was, as fame hath said, that Gen. Washington threw his hat on the ground and exclaimed, Are these the men with which I am to defend America!"" Washington, in his letter to Congress, dated September 16, denounced the conduct of these troops as "disgraceful and dastardly." But while both documents and tradition indicate Washington's passionate mortification as he stood on Inklenberg near Fifth avenue and 42d street and vainly tried to stem the panic which ensued, it must be remembered that the panic was due to lack of "preparedness." The troops were green, untrained militia. Many of their officers were untrained and did not work in coördination with each other. They had no fortifications behind which to make a stand. And they were confronted by a perfectly equipped and perfectly trained force of overwhelming numbers, supported by five large warships in the East River, the very sound of whose guns, said one of the Americans, seemed to lift his head off. Gen. Heath in his diary rather excuses the troops for their conduct. Speaking of Washington's exclamation, above quoted, Heath adds: "But several things may have weight here- the wounds received on Long Island were yet bleeding, and the officers, if not the men, knew that the city was not to be defended."

At any rate, after making a brief resistance, the Americans, overpowered by numbers, were routed. Making the best of a bad situation, Washington got the men off by the Cross Road to the Bloomingdale Road and thence to Harlem Heights, where the next day and later, they gave a good account of themselves.

The eminence at the intersection of Fifth avenue and 42d street, therefore, is memorable as one of the spots on which it is definitely known that Washington stood, while the American and

British troops were actively engaged in battle beneath his eyes, and we also know definitely that British and American troops contended over the very ground at Fifth avenue and 42d street. Inasmuch as this was the only attempt made that day to withstand the British advance, the troops below having withdrawn from the city without actually encountering the enemy, the action might appropriately be denominated the Battle of Inklenberg.

One hundred and thirty-three years after this struggle between Americans and British along the roads and over the farm-land in the vicinity of this corner, American and British soldiers and sailors marched in friendly association over this same battleground. That significant event occurred on Thursday, September 30, 1909, when the military procession of the great Hudson-Fulton Celebration marched through the Court of Honor at Fifth avenue and 42d street.

During the Revolution, Murray Hill was used as an alarm station. In a British order, signed by Major Edward Williams and dated January 19, 1780, in the phenomenal winter when the Hudson river, East river and Upper Bay were frozen solid and when the British feared an attack by the Americans, it was provided that in case the Americans advanced from the north, one, two or three guns should be fired at McGown's Pass, and be repeated at the 37th regiment camp near the 5-mile stone, at the Heights of "Inklenberg," at Bunker Hill (Grand street east of Broadway) and Fort George (at the Battery).

Modern History

Meanwhile, this intersection had become notable for another event connected with an important chapter of New York city's history, namely, the erection of the old Croton Aqueduct Reservoir which for so many years was a conspicuous and distinctive landmark of that region. And this event is one of an endless number of illustrations which might be given showing the connection between scenery and history. The same physiographic fact which made Inklenberg a sightly eminence from the scenic standpoint gave it the military advantage which led Washington in 1776 to endeavor to make a stand there, and which led the

builders of the Croton Aqueduct to locate one of their reservoirs there soon after the citizens voted in 1835 to issue bonds for the new water supply. The Croton water was admitted to this reservoir described as "at Murray Hill a short drive from the City," with impressive ceremonies on July 4, 1842. The reservoir was built in the Egyptian style of architecture. Its ponderous walls sloping inward and rising to the height of the second story of neighboring buildings, became overgrown with vines and formed a picturesque and unique landmark in this city of varied architecture.

After the erection of the reservoir, the remainder of the block bounded by Fifth avenue, 40th street, Sixth avenue and 42d street, became known as Reservoir Square.

Eleven years after the dedication of the reservoir, and on July 4, 1853, a World's Fair was formally opened by President Pierce and a distinguished company in the Crystal Palace in Reservoir Square. Here, among other events, an ovation was given to Cyrus W. Field on the occasion of the successful laying of the first Atlantic cable. The Crystal Palace was destroyed by fire on October 5, 1858.

In 1884, the name of Reservoir Square was changed to Bryant Park in honor of the poet, William Cullen Bryant.

As early as 1893 the site was suggested for a new building for the New York Public Library, and in 1897 the Legislature enacted chapter 556 of the laws of that year, authorizing the city to erect a building for this purpose within the legal limits of Bryant Park and to enter into a contract with the Library corporation for its occupation. In the spring of 1899 a contract was let for the removal of the reservoir, but the process of demolition was slow, portions of the old Egyptian walls remaining standing long after the building of the Library had begun. The cornerstone of the Library was laid on November 10, 1902, and the completed Library was dedicated on May 23, 1911. The architects of the Library were Carrere & Hastings.

Since that time, many great civic processions have been reviewed at this point by the chief officials of the city, State and Nation.

ROCKAWAY POINT FORT BEGUN

The Building of a New Landmark

On Saturday, February 3, 1917, President Wilson announced to Congress that he had recalled Hon. James W. Gerard, the American Ambassador to the Imperial German Government at Berlin, and had directed that passports be given to the German Ambassador to the United States, Count Johann Heinrich von Bernstorff. The severance of diplomatic relations with Germany was the result of a long series of events involving a disregard of American rights upon the high seas.

On February 9, 1917, under direction of engineers of the United States army, 150 men broke ground for a new fort on Rockaway Point in the Borough of Queens, city of New York. In response to our inquiry, the Chief of Engineers informed us under date of March 16, 1917, that no official name had been given to the fort, but that the locality was referred to unofficially in correspondence as Rockaway Point. Whatever may be the history which the future holds for this fort, its erection creates a new landmark of historical interest. The selection of the site, it was announced in the newspapers of the next day, was the result of a six months' survey by the government authorities in a search for an advantageous point for a battery to command the sea approach to New York city. At present a warship of the Queen Elizabeth type could cruise outside the range of the Sandy Hook armament and batter Brooklyn and New York at will.

The work on February 9 was begun under the direction of Capt. Frank K. Ierkness and Capt. J. T. Ardley of the United States Army Engineer Corps.

The beginning of this new fortification was attended by interesting transactions in the Legislature.

The Federal Government had negotiated the terms of purchase for the land required by the fort, but the land had not actually been conveyed. The adjacent land under water belongs to the city of New York, and its use is necessary to the fort. On February 9 Senator Ogden L. Mills of New York and Assemblyman John G. Malone of Albany by request introduced in their respective chambers a bill reading as follows:

Section 1. The City of New York is hereby authorized to cede or grant to the United States of America for national, governmental purposes, any land or lands under water,. island, hammock, or hassock, in Jamaica bay adjacent to the upland required by the United States on the westerly end of Rockaway Neck, Borough of Queens, City of New York, for such consideration and upon such terms and conditions as the Board of Commissioners of the Sinking Fund may, in its discretion, deem proper.

This bill was passed by the Senate February 12 and by the Assembly February 13.

On February 9 bills were introduced by request" to amend the Greater New York Charter, relative to selling and conveying the right, title and interest of the City of New York in and to lands under water to upland owners in the Boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens." This bill proposed to authorize the Commissioners of the Sinking Fund " to approve agreements submitted by the Commissioner of Docks for the sale and conveyance to adjacent upland owners of the city in and to any lands under water within the limits of the Boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens lying outshore of high water mark and inshore of any bulkhead line established under the provisions of this act." This bill was also represented to be necessary to the consummation of the government plans; but was strongly opposed on the ground that it exceeded the necessities of the fort situation, and opened the way for the alienation of valuable water rights by the city.

The bill having failed to pass, and the conveyance of the fort site to the Federal Government having been delayed, a bill was introduced authorizing the taking of the land by the State under its power of eminent domain and transferring it to the Federal Government. Under an emergency message from Governor Whitman, the bill passed both houses of the Legislature on February 21 and was immediately signed by the Governor. It became chapter 13 of the Laws of 1917. As soon as the bill was signed. Governor Whitman issued the following order to Adjt.-Gen. Louis W. Stotesbury, State Engineer Frank M. Williams, and State Superintendent of Public Works W. W. Wotherspoon, who, under the new law, comprise a permanent commission to condemn private lands needed for the public defense:

"Pursuant to the provisions of chapter 13 of the laws of 1917. you are hereby directed to acquire such land as is desired by the