EARLY STEAMBOAT DAYS ON THE
HUDSON RIVER

Some time ago, we announced a series of articles on
the North River, that mighty stream to which New York
owes much of its affluence. While it belongs to New
York primarily, its beauties, and its honors are the posses-
sion of the whole world.

As early as 1825, the most ambitious publication from
a business point of view, was undertaken on behalf of
this noble river. It consisted of a series of plates, twenty-
two in number, reproduced by the aquatint process, each
plate measuring about 24 x 20, including the margin.
It was known as the Hudson River Portfolio. The last
copy, which appeared at an auction sale brought eleven
hundred dollars.

There is no publication describing any part of our
country, old or new, the appreciation of which is so
emphatically expressed in dollars and cents as this tribute
to the North River, published so many years ago. That
such a work could have been undertaken on such an elabo-
rate scale, is another evidence of the great interest which
this beautiful river excited the world over, as most of these
books would naturally flnd their customers in Europe.

In the preparation of these papers it was our great good
fortune to have had the co-operation and supervision of
our good friend, the late Mr. Stuyvesant Fish. To our
inexpressible regret, our dear friend was removed from
us last winter, and the series must of necessity suffer a
diminution in both historical value and cjuantity, in con-
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