Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-08-01

years on the seas and were absolutely lost to
sight BY their compatriots and this may very
well have happened to Christopher Columbus"
Very well, said a skeptic, you will nevers
theless confess that admitting Columbus was
not born at Genoa-and / agree with you that
there is no document initiating against that
assertion-you have SO far given no proof of
his birth in Corsica"
II can refer you to an interesting volume
upon this subject, which has been published by
N. liable J. Peretti, full of documents and
very complete, which should be read if one
wishes to get at the bottom of the various ideas
and solutions that have beer presented in re-
gard to the problem. / have copy Of the
book here, and since you appear to be inter-
ested and have asked me some questions will
ask permission to use the documents in this
discussion. What else can one do in a railway
car but talk? and what better subject for dis
cussion than point of history or arty''
The passengers nodded assent, and the
traveller opened his book. when the English
man. who had taken but slight interest in the
conversation, said:
1T is a discussion without interest; for of
what use is it today to know the birthplace of a
man so long dead? Whether he was from Calvi
or Genoa, what matters it,"
THE truth is of importance sir; and unfor-
tunately in the history of human discoveries
poor Truth is so often badly used that it is a
praiseworthy thing to defend her. 1t is in per-
hitting such errors to receive credit that
as the inventor of vaccine, when IL was in re-
atty discovered by the Frenchmau Rabaut
Pommier. since 1874; to the Englishmau Simp-
son for having discovered the use of ether
practiced long before him by the Frenchman
Soubeiran to Newton for the invention of the
telescope. which is really due to the French
man Marsenne: that it is claimed the French
man Papin took from Jonathan Hull the idea
of a steamboat; and it is against error that this
book is put forth. l assure YOU il is the work
OF a sincere and conscientious savant, pub
hshed on the occasion of the fourth centenary
of Christopher Columbus. honored by sub
seriptions from the four bureaus of the min
istry OF public instruction, and it merits the
attention OF all who love the truth and who
will take the trouble to read and discuss it. if
they can; Anxious Plato, sed DadgiS AMIGA
UeTttds.
The Englishman retired to his corner and the
Corsican took up again the conversation.
The historians all conceding the impossible
ity confronting them of fixing the birthplace
OF Christopher Columbus. the field then re-
mains quite free and Calvi cap enter and pre-
sent her reasons. We cannot show you. indeed
the birth certificate of the grand admiral OF
the ocean. but Its absence is explained bv the
fact that the archives were DESTROYED at the very
epoch when he was working for the realization
OF his great project. But in default of an au-
thentlc certificate We can produce such number
of indisputabie prescriptions that the bundle is
worth the most convincing proofs
where did Christopher Columbus go to re-
cruit if not his vessels at least his outfit? To
Calvi, whose marine was exempt from the
anchorage dues of all the kingdom of Aragon
The companions of Columbus whose names
have come down to us are not numerous but
these names are for the most part those of old
families of Calvi: Torres, Antonio Colombo
Balestrier, Agnez. All these Corsicans were in
America at the same time with Columbus. and
it is perfectly well known that there was in
1495 In Sauto Domingo a pack of Corsican
hounds which Columbus sent against the
Indians. They were Corsicans whom we find
since the sixteenth century as governors of the
two provinces of Porto Belio and Panama
which provinces comprised part of the coun-
tries subjected to his government and that of
his descendants; and these Corsicans were all
men of Calvi. How shall we explain the
presence of these people of Calvi around Co.
lumbus! Would he. il a Genoyese, have chosen
among strangers his strongest supports his
most intimate confdants? 1t seems quite i'm
probable.
besides this We know thai proceeding in order
with the names that Columbus gave to the
different islands. he discovered them he
called the tirst SAINT Sauyeur (San Salvador)
and the second Conception. The two first ports
thathe named were called Santa Catalina and San
Nicolas, and he baptized as the Island of San