The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1892-11-10
THE GREAT NAvIoAToRs.
DIR. BIanchard's Opening Lecture Last
Evening.

Rev. DR.. Blanchard opened his eleventh an
nua course OF lectures last evening in the vestry
of Congress Square Church. 1t will be on Ameri
can History, as was the one of last winter The
subject last evening was .sThe Great Navigators
who discovered that it was New World Column
bins reached-Cabot, Americas Vespucci and
Magellan
The speaker began by saying that it required
two hundred years for the full discovery of
America as continent lying between Europe
and Asia. In this Columbus is the great figure
But the great navigators Cabot and Vespucci
and Magellan deserved to be honored with him.
The object held in view in the lecture was to
show first how long time is needed for new
idea to be received, second to inspire to heroic
life by the example of heroic deeds, and third
to teach Americans to have proud devotion to
their country.
DrBlanchard briefly stated Columbus's claims
to honor. He then dwelt on the lives of John
and Sebastian Cabot and showed how the one
first discovered the continent of North America
and the other, one of the nobest of men, was
driven back from his northern quest by icebergs
To these men intent, like Columbus. on finding
a way to the indies, there was probably no re-
velation of new world. Still, their brains must
may have had hazy ideas of a continent that
was not Asia. ..4-
The story of Americas vespucci was next re,
counted 1t was shown how he met Columbus
and how he became interested in maritime adj
venture In his first voyages, he was only an
astronomer, but in his third he was leader 1t
is altogether probable that he began to perceive
that tie theory that the land discovered was
part of Asia could no longer be maintained.
Prof. Fiske says there is nothing to indicate
what he saw was a separate continent, but DR..
Blanchard felt that so many facts had now
been discovered that Americas mus have be-
gun, at least to doubt the old assumption that
At all events the long range of coast now
known in northern and southern ATTITUDES made
prepared the way for the truth. Americas did
not give his name to the new world. This
came about in a. singular way. 1t was Ger
muller who called the new world America.
Prof. Fiske in his Discovery of America clearly
shows how the name was given. The speaker
story of his early adventures with Malays was
given; his courage, his indomtable will por-
the straits which bear his name and passed
into the Pacific. ocean. He it was who con
ceived the idea of circum navigating the globe.
navigation He first circum navfgated
the unknown seas, and, after his DEATH his
Ship the vietena, returned by way of the Cape
of Good Hope-the first to pass round all the
globe. Its survivors of 15 men. were all
who were left of the $50 who sailed in the five
ships of Magellan's expedition three years be-
fore.
DR.. Blanchard warmly eulcgized this great
navigator. Such examples of heroic deeds may
well inspire noble life.
The last part of the lecture was devoted to
the development OF patriotic sentiment: The
speaker pictured the continents of North and
South America and their vast forests, their
mighty rivers, their magnificent mountains.
their savage Indians their jewellers in Mexico
and Peru. He outlined the succeeding adven-
lures which finally taught men the vastness of
the new world, spoke Of the French and English
ing up to the establishment of the Great Re-
public.
He who knows this history well will honor the
great navigators for the work they did, and will
be led to prize the citizenship of such a coun-
try. And SO. whoever is elected Pre- 'ident. let
us glo in our Republic and believe in its fu-
ture greatness.