1907--1909

_CENTENNIAL GREETING_


_Hendrick Hudson and Robert Fulton are closely associated in the
history of our river, and more particularly at this time, as the dates
of their achievements unite the centennial of the first successful
steamer in 1807, with the tri-centennial of the discovery of the river
in 1609. In fact, these three centuries of navigation, with rapidly
increasing development in later years, might be graphically
condensed--_

"_Half Moon_," _1609_; "_Clermont_," _1807_;

"_Hendrick Hudson_," _1906_.

_Singularly enough the discovery of Hendrick Hudson, and the invention
of Robert Fulton are also similar in having many adverse claimants who
forget the difference between attempt and accomplishment._

_Everyone knows that Verrazano entered the Narrows and harbor of
our river in 1524, and sailed far enough to see the outline of the
Palisades; that Gomez visited its mouth in 1525; Cabot still earlier
in 1498; and various Norsemen, named and nameless, for several
centuries before them, coasted along the shore and indenture of the
"River of the Manhattoes," but failed to acquire or transmit any