Herald of the times, and Rhode Islander. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1846-1849, 1847-06-10
For The Herald and Rhode Islander.
"To Antiquarian, Brown Uni
versity, Providence, r. 1.

II Will you oblge n fellow 1Opnsmdn, by
! giving a place in your columns to the follow
| ing An article appeared in the Newport Mer-
| curry some weeks since under the signature az
I"Visiter," asking for information, or facts in
! history, relative TO the Old Ruin in Newport
| commonly known as the "Old Stone Mill. "
! Thinking was capable Of giving as CORRECTLY in
formation on the subject as any one, and hav-
! ing in my possession ndsputable authenticated
documents relating to the subject of inquiry,
! which could exhibit, and on which, together
| with many "reminiscences and traditions, had
| founded my own opinion of the origin of the
| structure and the use for which it was intend
ed and being desrous TO crafty the wishes of
Vsiter, | called Oh the Editor Of that paper
and requested him to refer the author of "Visl-
ter" to me, and would with pleasure give him
every information OH the subject in my power,
but found the editor as conversant with the
subject az myself, and think concdng in
opinion with me /; and it is to be presumed he
rave the Vister such information OH the sub
iect of his inquiry as satisfactory TO him,
and he not knowing had any documentary
| evidence in corrobaration Of the information
he had acquired, he did not call on me as
wished, and hope he will yet. After the lapse
of some weeks and no answer to the inquiry of
Vsiter appearing, an answer was published IN
the Newport Daily News, under the signature
of "Antiquarian, Brown University, Provi-
dence r. L." about the lst of April last passed.
| The object of "Antiquaran" by his answer,
| appeared to be to establish fact that the
! .Norfhmcn, that is, emigrants from the North
of Europe, particularly Norway, who accord
ing to their hstory,o tradition there e,emigrated
to and occupied the Northeastern part of this
| continent, prior to 1000, and some Of their de-
| scendans from the borders of the st. Law
renee migrated along the coast AZ far westward
as this Island, prior to the year lO7O-lO75,
and that it was their offspring who erected
what now stands ~ the Newport ruin, in the
lIlth century, "tor (he says) according to the
II report Of committee read before the Royal
Society of Antiquarans, at Copenhagen, 1886,
lIit is conclusvely established, that the race Of
men who built the tower at Newport, were the
|
as above stated. These facts he endeavors to
establish by the architectural affinity Of the old
| ruin to the numerous structures on branch
| of the st. Lawrence, and in Norway, &c, and
| by making a statement purporting to be an e1-
| tract from a report of Professor Scrobein,
Of the Geological department Of the
| Royal College at Copenhagen, who, it
was stated was appointed by the unanimous
vote of the College "for the purpose of prose-
| cutting inquiries in relation to the Mortimer
whom it was known occupied the territory
aforesaid, prior to 1860" This report appears
to be the same made by Professor Rapin of Co
penhagen and Graetz, Of Gottenburg, as a
! COMMITTEE before the Royal College at Copen-
lhagcn, in 1886, which led the College to tho
conclusion above stated. The part of the state
ment made by "Antquarian' for the informa-
ton of "visiter,' purporting to be portion of
| report Of one Professor Scrobien, relating to
the Old Tower, published in the Newport Daily
/ News, about the first of April, being altogeth-
er fictitious, would have been suffered to pass
unnoticed as one of the fabulosites Of the
| time, had it not been used, and succeeded,
! according to the statement,) in deceiving the
| Royal College of Antiquarians at Copenhagen,
| and calculated through their credulIty, to de-
ceive the world in general; for these reasons
/ il requires passing notice, in order to dlsabuse
those who from a lack of knowledge of facts
/ in relation to the subject, and the influence OF
, high sounding names, may have been decev-
cd. After mentioning the appointment OF
Professor Scrobien, and the object for which
he was appointed by the Royal Society, as be-
fore stated, the report continues, Professor
Scrobien in the early part of 1882 left his ma
tive country for the prosecution of this work ,
| after visiting ENGLAND, he arrived in Halifax in
MAY, from whence he proceeded to Boston,
- In August he visited Newport, and having
| secured the cooperation of a number OF Seen
tifc gentlemen of n. with several officers of
the army at that time stationed there, he
then proceeded to examine and cxcavate around
the Old Tower" " In connection with inior-
lmation adduced from other sources, he says,in
substance, that the old ruin was an appcndage
to a temple and used for religious Offices as a
baptistcry or baptisnal font, as was the custom
with the people in the mother country, nu-
merous evidences of which still exist, III SINH
lar structures in Norway. 1t appears to have
been erected lIr'the llth century during a So
journ of Bishop Erie in Vintland as the Island
was called from the excellence of its wines and
abundance of its grapes. Under the centre OF
the ruin was clearly shown the foundation OF
r the rcceptimum, or place where the candidates
, stood while receiving the baptismal shower
i which was let down from a large reservoir
: above into which II was collected by a concav,
, roof formed of boughs, overland with mats o
9 vines and leaves. In close proximity to thu
: was second foundation-that of the paes
H trium or altar Of the officiating priest eth,
temple to which this baptIsiery was contln
gent IT is surmscd was either abandoned aile
the foundation was erected, or being built q
pcrishablc materials, TIA superstructure mus
hayp fallen into dgcnv IN the interval who