New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-06-09
THE DAY AMERICA WAS DISCOVERED.
A CHANGE TO THE CORRECT DATE FOR THE CELE-
BRATIoN ADVOCATED.

BRATION ADVOCATED.
To tho Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: saw by The Tribune Yesterday that commas
sioner Delaned has had something to say about chang
Ing tho date OF the Columbus Day anniversary from
October IT, 1892 October 81, 1892. II Is interest
ing and whal. little amusing to SEQ ut this late daS
Worlds Fair managers and others awakng to the facts
that October IL not the anniversary OF the discovery
OF America and that preparing to hold our ceie
,r,tion nine dnys ahead OF time. These facts nave
been repeatedly forth and explained in the columns
OF The Tribune. first long ago as October 10 1897
and again February 90, 1892. have also had COM
muncations on the subject In several other papers
Had these received the attention they shoud nave re-
ceyed nom the press and the public; had The Inbuhe
and other papcrs I'm which the matter was presented
consented 10 agate the question, to make more puohc
The facts and 10 give their support 10 the movement
We vonld not have gone so far In pcrpetratlon oi
ridiculous blunder.
This is not a mere matter OF sentiment. II is
ouestlon OF accuracy In history. 1t has 70 40 WIN
education and this grand opportunity TO starr ng' III
this matter and teach the masses, particularly the
youth OF today certain facts now not generally unoer'
stood ought not TO be thrown away. The prevailing
lack Of n thorough understanding Of these matters on
the part OF the people Is shown by the mistakes huc
by those who undertake to write or speak on s q"es
tIon Of time. The Hon. John Boyd Thacher WIS re-
portcd BY The Mail and Express short time ago. re-
frrriul the Julian ana 'rftVi1uH '"'r"'"''' ~
saving that AS everybody knows, there i Ten oaS
difference between them. except In Engllsh uhes'
when, the difference is eleven days. Ihht Is the
,cltonlnr on which / determine that we should date
t,c landing Of Columbus on october Il instead OF
October ~
rMr. Thacher was correctly quoted he made very
careless statement and not likely 10 convey clear
idea OF the matter his process Of reasoning surely
Mr. Thatcher must know that there IS no dlic'ril't
between English dates and other dates IN the eaH'
oon,urv The facts are that the difference between
the old STYLE and the "ncw style was ten Gay
through the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries II
WINS eleven days in tie eie cnth century and twelve
DAYS in the nineteenth century and after February
1900 and through the twentieth century II VIII DE
thirteen days. the principle. going back VIC
find n difference OF nine days M the fifteenth century,
Then. again. Mr.. DclaGcd APPEARS by YESTERDAY 5
Tribune 10 have said. when claiming Il dhcNnce OF
nine days between october II, l4.,2 oi sly e, anu nc
cnrrcsp5udIng date new style. that. " on TINS ihc
nrincipe tho old calendar stated that Wa,hiS on va,
horn on the 18th Of February, Yet we celebrate hls
I,rthday on the 22d OF February. which Is the ne"
sivlr ~ Either Mr.. Dcaiicld was wrong, Or u; N"s
Incorrectly reported Impressed with the fact OF
ancrnce Of nine days affecting the date OF the ~
tcen;h century he allowed the same difference III
,,frrcncr TO Tie birth Of Washington In tie eighteenth
renfury when the difference was eleven DAYS WASH
ington was born the 1lth of February w. - anu
not the 18TH
There Is rc.hing In all this that the average school
Taught in our schools. and thi, Is the time 70 be, ont
by all means shoud start right by 9nSSryHg ''c
right day nj Chicago WiiNoi H. iiio'i' '-''
Orange, y. j., Ma. ~. lcO-.