The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1890-02-13
Discovery OF America.


Discovery OF America
Inasmuch as it appears that We Of the
United ) ates are not 20 enjoy Il monopoly OF
celebrat ion about the discovery of the west
ern world but tina. old Spain, and after that
the English city of Bristol. have decided to
take hand therein, it would seem to be ger
name to those facts to state few points, as
reliable possible concerning said discovery.
Whilst South and Central America were
first opened to the knowledge of the eastern
world through the genius and enterprise OF
Christ"val Columbus, there can be no doubt
that North America was first reached in
demons Fable way by a person who began
life as Shifts pilot, Venitian by birth, and
named John Cabot. He was induced Ivy sew
eral con ~ideratlons t. take himself and fam
'ly to England in 1472, during the reign OF
Henry VII, and settled at istol. on the
channel of that name and southwest coast OF
England. He had three spns. Lewis. Sebas-
tan, and Sancto, and after a busy and useful
career died in 149S. The middle named OF
his sons, Sebastian, proved himself a man of
note, worthy of his her. He was born III
Bristol alb ut 1875 and four years after ac-
companied his father visit TO Venice
but returned with him 10 Bristol.
Let ers patent were granted by King Henry
on March 5, 1896. to Cabot and his sons to
sail for discovery in unknown regions. They
set out in the spring of the following year
with two vessels, one of which was named
the Matthew" The result of this expedi-
ton was the discovery of Cape Breton island
and the coast of Labrador, together with
Nova Scotia, afterwards denominated by the
French. its Temporary possessor, Acadia.
The date is give as st. Johns Day. 1897. In
February of the next year letters patent were
again given John Cabot alone for a second
expedition to the same region: i'll command
of five vessels. The fruits of this expedition
Cabot is said to have recorded both on map
and on globe, which was done not long be-
fore his death.
Sebastian, who had taste for graphic de-
scription. became photographer to Henry
VIII. and then to Ferdinand of Spain, by
the latter of whom he was ordered on voy-
age If discovery to the northwest in 1916.
But Ferdinand's death and the mean jeal-
ousy oi Cardinal Xinenes prevented the vOy-
age and Cabot went back Ia England In
May, 1919, Sebastian appointed pilot
major to the Emperor Charles V. and went
again to ain. He likewise exercised his
mind wi researches into the laws of the va
ration of the needle as observed by G ,lum-
bus. In 1876 he was appointed to the m
mand of an expedition to Brazil in the inter
est of Sl,an. but in this he failed and was
rewarded by several months inn iris, 'nment
on hIs return to the latter country. In the
year 1874 he constructed long-noted map,
combining his own discoveries in South
America with those of his father in the
northern continent. and the latest Spanish
and Portuguese discoveries.
King Henry V. II died January %, 1547.
and Sebastian returned to his native town.
His services were much in demand by the
Emperor Charles ", but Sebastian declined
to render them and gave his mind to the in
terests of England. the go eminent of which
rewarded him. Especially did he succeed in
settling an old dispute between The Hanse-
town and the Lond N merchants to the pub
lie satisfaction. Those merchants next
availed themselves of his naval experience in
the endeavor TO open a way to Cathay (China)
by the nor; beast. from which followed a dis
covery of the Russian coast in the vicinity Of
Archangel and the mouth of the river De-
vina. and valuable trade for England. Sew
eral VOYAGES were made under him, one of
the vessels being named the ''S-archthrift."
But Sebastian WAS finally mad. to suffer.
for when Philip, the son of the Emperor
Charles, arrived in England in May. 1857. to
consummate his marriage with Queen Mary.
he almost Immediately procured the with
drawal IF Sebasian's government pension,
in vengeance for the la,ter's declension to
enter the service OF Philips father. Not long
after Sebastian died, aged over 80 years
The Bristol people will not celebrate the
discoveries Of the Cabots in the neighbor-
no III of The mouth of the st. Lawrence be-
fr,ro ar Iohr,o dou 1907 HWY H.pDv