4 Staten Island Association of Arts and Sciences 



Mr. Edward C. Delavan, Jr., who questioned the accuracy of 

 some of the dates on the tablet, was given a hearing in the matter 

 by our committee. He placed at our disposal a very complete 

 list of references to documentary records concerning Staten 

 Island, and other historical data involving a large amount of re- 

 search among sources not hitherto readily available, which we 

 have freely used. 



In view of the circumstances above mentioned it was thought 

 best to make an independent examination of such authoritative 

 documents as we could find bearing on the inscriptions, particu- 

 larly official documents and contemporary accounts, for data on 

 which to base our report. This has been done, and appended to 

 this report are many extracts from original sources and numerous 

 references, in order that members of the Association, and others, 

 may readily refer to the original documents and verify the ac- 

 curacy of the present report. It is believed that a number of im- 

 portant records are referred to therein which have hitherto been 

 unnoticed, or at least that little use has been made of them. It 

 should also be said that, in the opinion of this committee, no in- 

 scription open to reasonable doubt or liable to misconstruction 

 ^should be inscribed upon the tablet. 



The work of drafting the report was, by request of the com- 

 mittee, undertaken and performed by Mr. Tuttle. 



The first date and event inscribed on the tablet is : 



1609. Discovery of Staten Island by Henry Hudson. 



It is inscribed on the tablet exactly as selected and approved by 

 the committee of 1906. We have not heard its accuracy ques- 

 tioned and have found satisfactory proof thereof. We think it 

 the right statement in the right place. 



The second date and event inscribed on the tablet is : 



161 3. Settlement of Oude Dorp by the Dutch. 

 The committee of 1906 selected and approved " 1613. Settle- 

 ment of Oude Dorp by Dutch." 



