Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-02-03
A Rival COLUMRUs.
Miss BrOWn Advocates the Claims Of
the icciandic vOyager ~ the Dis.
cOverer OF America.

the lcelandtc V0ya~er n. me D,.,
coverer OF Anserica.
The claims of the Icelandic discovery Of America
were earnestly advocated last evening. Miss Maria
A Brown addressed an audience on this subject
IN the chapel OF All Souls church Miss Brown is
Vi Shall stature, but she Is well Informed and Is
iro BOSTON She maintains that as Left Erikson dis
covered America some 500 years before 1t Is claimed
lhAt columbus performed a similar feat, that the
iceiandic discoverer should be given the honor In
stead OF his southern imitator She said that Co
iulious voyage In search Of the Western world
was only success because OF Information that he
had seoien from Iceland. Several years before he
leIt on his celebrated voyage Columbus the
sPsdksr SAID. according to hts own statement
aa an opportunity or seeing the sagas and other
recorus giving an account Of
THE VOYAGES OF LEIP ERIKsoN TO AMERICA.
trikson In the year 1000 visited the coasts OF
America Previous TO this Greenland had been
settled from Iceland, which was then nourishing
repuolic The vigor and independence Of this
No.IneTn nation, Miss Brown said, led to voyages
VI " discovery. A trading post was established at
the head OF Baffin's Bay and the settlement OF
Leii, the discoyerer, was Eric the Red, and Miss
DrUWn ulsplayed his picture on q screen. AS she
t 1nAeu stereoptican views were shown which
Ter OF the lecture. Eric who was represented as
warrior clad In coat OF mail, was the author Of
q oasd "ncrein was reclted the deedS OF his son.
GERMS OF LIBERTY FROM ICELAND.
The speaker paid tribute to the nberty-loving
people OF Iceland, and said that the germs Of our
free institutions came from that country. She ap-
pealed to the patriotism OF her hearers TO do JUS
tice at even this late day to the enterprise OF
these early vOyagers. She thought that In the
proposed centennial celebration OF the adoption
OF the Constitution that America should
vISDICATE THE TRUTH OF HISTORY
and proclaim to the world that Erikson and not
Columbus was the discover OF America The
spenIer dwelt at soma length upon the prevalence
OF tiNatholic religion, not only In Iceland but in
Iceland goes back TO an early period, and the
Speaker said that no doubt a complete record Of
what was being done IN that remote portion OF
the globe had been transmitted TO Rome. She
thought that the contents OF the archives at Rome
would throw g great deal OF light upon these
lcelandic discoveries and confirm what was
already know. The opinion OF many OF the learned
men or the age Is on the side OF the Icelandic
legend. Miss Brown was OF the opinion that the
gOrincaton of Columbus as the discoverer of Amer
lea Instead OF the Iceland voyager was wrong, as
giving 10 monarchical country the honor which
belongs by rights TO a republic.
PETITION TO CONGRESS-
At the close OF the talk, which was as interest
shipper stated that Miss Brown had prepared
were In the adjoining room. She would be glad
10 have any in the audience who felt so disposed
sign the petition as they went out. large
number complied with this request. The petition
asks that cCmmemOratfOn OF Er1k5on's discovery
Dc included In the approaching celebration In this
city In 1889 IN n0n0r OF the centennial or the Con-
stituttOn. IL asks that Congress authorize an in
yestgation OF the records OF the vatican and other
Roman HUrarieS with the view Of gathering In
formation upon the subject Of early Icelandic
voyages.