Herald of the times, and Rhode Islander. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1846-1849, 1848-03-23
The Old Stone Mill.

The Old Stone Mill.
Il Mn. E,sTMAs.-Your readers will rccol
lect the controversy published some months
since in relation to this ancient structure, whicl
originated from the inquiry Of a ''Visitor' pub
lishcd in the Mercnry, as to its origin and OBJ
! ject, which was answered By writer in the
| Newport Daily News under the signature o
/" Anti3uaran, Brown University Proridenc,
! Rhode Island" The correctness of which
was disputed, and pronounced false and ground.
less by the writer under the signature Of" One
of the Oldest inhabitants" published in The
Herald ofthe Times and Rhode Islander. The
publication of his last article on the subject in
the Herald of Aug. 5ih 1877, slenccd Anti
quaran," by showing conclusivcly that his
whole statement was base fabrication, with
out the least foundation in truth, and undoubt.
cdly intended for deception the object OF
which appeared TO be to fix the date of its
structure 10 remote antiquity and that il was
the works of the North men (the ancient Scan
dinovians) who visited the eastern portion of
this contincu, as early as the tenth century,
and as evidence that they visited, and estab-
lishcd themselves on this Island at that period /;
4 from what sinister motives this was undertaken,
the writer will not attempt to decide but leaves
that to the public. In conformity TO the de-
clarcd intention of the writer TO represent the
facts to the Royal Society of Antiquarians at
Copenhagen, he forwarded to the President Of
the Institution by the favour Of the Hon.
George Bancroft our Minister in England
through the Danish Legation in London, a
copy of the Herald of the Times and Rhode
Islander fAug. 9th lsi7, which contained the
full report attributed to Professor Scrobien, as
published by" Antiquarian, Brown University
Providence Rhode Island" with letter call
ing the attention Of the Royal College TO the
subject, (Which is too lengthy and quite un-
necessary to be published) asking the favour
of an answer, if such a report had ever been
made to the Society, and acted upon as stated
in the report. To this communication he
writer has just received the following answer
Copenhagen, January An, ls4s.
Darid Mefrile, Esq, Newport r. 1.
SIR Your letter of the I2th Of August
with the Herald of the Times and Rhode Is
lander of August 5th, l647, duly received a
few days ago.
\ beg to return you my thanks for the COM
munication transmitted, and deem it my duty
to inform you that the article which lately ap-
peared in your journals on the subject of the
ancient structure in Newport is from begin
ming TO end a downright fabrication, no such
having ever been made to the Royal Society of
Northern Antiquities as the one alluded TO
the persons mentioned in the article, too,
Bishop Oelrischer, Professors Scrobien, Grac-
w, &c, are all fictitious characters, there new.
er having existed here individuals bearing those
names. Thus the entire notice is nothing
more than Fl ction, the object Of which is to
mysiify the public.
| 1t were to be wished that such Of the Amer
lean Journals as have admitted the article in
question into their columns, would apprize the
public of its entire falsty.
| In 1887 published, on behalf of our Socie-
ty, the Old Northern sources to the Ante-Co-
lumbar history Of America in the work enti-
tied ANTIQUITATES AMERICAN1E.-
Taking the astronomical, nautical and geo.
graphical evidences contained in the ancient
records themselves for a groundwork, have
endeavored to prove that our Scandinavian fore
fathers in the the tenth century discovered a
portion of the eastern coast Of North Amer-
ca, and in particular visited Massachusetts, and
Rhode Island. Inquirers Of the greatest ce-
lebrity here in Europe, have looked upon the
arguments used by inc as conclusive, among
whom may mention Alexander Humboih, in
his recently published Kosmos vol. IL, page
269--272, where he considers the results Of
my investigations as historical facts fully dem
onstrated.
At the time when published the work
above alluded TO, was not aware Of the an
cient structure in Newpcrt, which consequent
ly cannot have led in the remotest degree to
the results deduced, nor is there a single word
said about il in my work, which moreover is
to be met with in most of the larger libraries
in America, as well as in Europe and thus
opens an easier access to the study of the orig
na written sources themselves. The right
Interpretation Of the accounts in the ancient
parchment copies, clearly proves that IT was
precisely Massachusetts and Rhode Island
which the ancient Scandinavians visited and
where they established themselves. The
agreement Of the ASTRONOMICAL nautical and
geographical evidences leads in this respect,
to so certain a result that doubtless nothing
further is required.
The early monuments which are met with
in those regions, unqucstionably merit the al.
teniion Of the investigator, but we must be
cautious IN regard to the inferences to be
drawn from them.
Concerning the sncien, structure IN Now
port, (of hich VIC had no previous knowledge