The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-05-31
COLUMBUS AT THE WORLDS FAIR.
Relics of the Great Navigator-How tn
Continent Was Named.

WASHINGTON CRY. May 25.-[Special
Correspondence. Work is to be begun
almost Immediately upon the reproduction
of the good ship Santa Maria, on which
Columbus sailed to America, for exhibit
ton at the Chicago fair. where the exact
imageo of the ancient explorers vessel will
float in the water alongside the modern
battle-ship of brick, in order that millions
of visitors may see what has been accom-
plished in the science of navigation within
the last four centuries. They never
thought of constructing men-of-war out of
bricks in the old days. Lieutenant Little,
of the navy, is experimenting the draw
ings for the builders, and it is intended
that Christopher's noble caravel shall be a
conspicuous feature of the great naval re-
views at New York and Newport in 1892, in
which ali the nations of the world will take
part.
One of the most interesting Columbian
exhibits at the fair will be documents
showing that Americas Vespucci is not
responsible for the fact this continent
bears his name, instead of that of Column
bus. No vainglory or other reprehensible
motive on his part seduced him into claim
ing fame rightfully due to another. The
fact is that, at the time of the discovery
King Rene, prince of troubadours, reigned
in Provence, France, with claim to
suzerainty over Sicily and Jerusalem,
which no one recognized. He was inter
ested not, only IN art and music,
but in the provinces of the more
scientific muses.. Obtaining possession
/ of letter written by Americas
Vespucci, in which some description of
the new world was given, he handed it
| over TO geographer in whom he was in
| terested. named Martin Waldsee- Muller
| They used hyphens even IN those times, il
| would seem. At all events. this German.
| Waldsee-Muller. published his Cos
biography" as he called it, and, incident
| lily TO the text of the work, remarked in
! Latin: Il do not see why We should
| rightly refuse TO name this new world
| Americas after its discoverer. Americas, a
man Of sagacity, since both Europe and
Asia originally took their names from
| women" This book of Waldsee- Null
/ ler's passed through many edi-
tons, with successive sets of maps,
and the map makers all gave
| the new continent the name "America."
| on the strength of the authors sugges-
| tons. Thus the name was conferred, al
| though Vespucci, in all probability, never
! saw one OF the geographer's books, nor
was made aware that the land on this
! hemisphere had been given a title in his
/ honor. One of these original biographies.
/ as it was issued from the press in that
early age of the art of printing, will be
| shown at Chicago. The owner of il is Mr.
/ ]. W. Ellsworth, of Chicago, who not long
ago paid Sl4, 500 for the Gutenberg Bible.
| Ii is certainly interesting 10 realize that
| America was named by an accident and
/ by German.
! At the fair will be shown q complete col
| lection of all the twenty-nine known auto
| graph letters Of Columbus-originals Of
| most Of them, facSimiles Of others Foyr
| Of these autographs letters are in this
| country; the rest are in Spain, most of
I ha.r hz,s.. 4 ~, TN.,l-~ !
/ gaas, lineal descendant OF the explorer.
! Ii Is hoped that the Duke de Veraguas will
! consent 20 contribute these original letters
70 the Chicago fair. Facsimiles have al
| ready been secured Of the only two known
| letters extant that were written by Amer
1 icus Nespucci-one of them a short com.
| munication TO his fsther. Ii is hoped that
| the originals may be obtained.
/ 4 plaster cast of the tomb of Columbus
( has already been secured. The cssket in
/ which his bones are now held will Re
/ exhibited also in facsimile at Chicago. II
Is small affair Of gilt and glass. A
/ collection of portraits IS being made for
/ exhibition, including the original or a
/ copy OF every picture ever made of Colur-
| bus or including him SIS figure Cnfor-
| tunately. il is believed that the only
/ genuine portrait ever taken of the explorer
| N life was pen-and-lnA drawing Of ST.
christopher with the ChriSt-child on his
nacS, which sdorns the chart of his second
| voyage, having been executed by Juan Re
/ "a Cosa, his pilot. The idea of the artist
| was 20 represent Columbus carrying saliva
tton 10 the New World. and so il Is sun
posed that he gave the face Of Columbus 10
the saint Nearly sll of his portraits
are from this likeness. There is no good
reason for believing that Columbus ever
sat Tor his likeness 10 anybody else.
q \ I. u purely vegetable ana so pleasant
that ne most delicste women AID smallest easId
lake IL xakhsGk Gatasultx.