The National tribune., 1892-12-08
c. c. COLUMBIAN COURSE.

c. c. COLUMBIAN COURSE.
What Four Hundred Years Of Human Prog
ress Have Brought Forth.
The special feature of the Loyal Home Work
ers Department for the year 1898 will be the Co
lumbian Exposition, celebrating the 400th ami
versary of the discovery of America by Christopher
Columbus. A regular course of study aud readings
will be given in advance suitable for home read
ings or c. c. Circles.
The course of study will bear upon the history oil
civilization as represented in the inventions, dis
coveries, arts, sciences, literature, architecture,
aud mechanical appliances of four centuries OF
! progress. extending from western Europe to the
New World. A series of general articles by the
Editor will precede and accompany the contrib
uted articles.
PRIZES FOR PAPERS.
For the first second and third best articles COW
ering the following topics, prizes will be awarded,
all articles to be mailed TO Mrs. Kate b. Sherwood,
Canton, o. The best will appear in THE NATIONAL
TRIBUNE. The prizes will be books unless the
writer expresses preference for something else,
when articles OF like value will be substituted.
FIRST PAPER.
Jan. 4-Columbuss First Voyage of Discovery
]. Who Columbus
2. What was his occupation?
8. Why did he make the voyage?
4. Who were his patrons, and why?
). Did he find what he expected?
6. What were the results of the voyage?
All articles the first paper must be mailed on
or before Dee 90, to consideration. Subject
of second paper announced the coming week.
THE MARINERS COMPASS.
The invention of the mariners compass the
/ key to the civilization Of The navigabie globe.
! This invention is attributed TO Flavio Giaio, an
obscure mariner of Naples, who ia 1902, placed the
! magnetic needle a permanent point and added
/ circular card.
1t was not. however until the middle of the Six
teenth Century that the compass reached its pres
ent improved state, resulting in the discovery Of
America by Columbus in 1892. and the discovery
Of the Cape of Good Hope and ocean line to the
East Indies by Vasca da Cana in 1897.
The first compass was brought into Europe from
China by Marco Polo. Venetian traveller, In the
latter part of the thirteenth century coo years be-
fore Columbus discovered America. This
simple magnetic needle attached to floating log
! and from this after many experiments by many
navigators. the mariners compass was invented.
The story of Marco Polo's visit to the Orient and
! its results upon European civilization is very in
! teresiing we'll as romantic. 1t was about the
wear 1867 that Marco Polo accompanied his fat her
/ Maffeo, an Italian trader, journey to Cam
bua the capital of ancient Cathay, now, probably.
| Picking. the chief city OF China
! They bore the greetings of Pope Gregory X. TO
/ KubIa Khan. the ruler of Cathay, and went from
Venice TO Palestine by sea, thence through Persia
10 Tartary and Thibei. their journey covering a
period Of over three years, year of which they
! were held captive by the rulers through whose
countries they passed.
When within forty days journey of Cambula.
they were met by an imperial escort from Kubla
Kahn, and upon their arrival received with
| royal honors becoming the embassy of the Pope,
in whose hands were the destinies of the West.
For years the Venetian travellers enjoyed the lux
uries and splendors of the East they were in
vested with official honors and for the three years
prior 10 his departure, Marco Polo was Governor
Of large Chinese town. When he desired to re-
tuTn to Italy he and his companions were loaded
with presents, and they could travel by land
owing 10 the great war in progress. they were per
United TO join a royal feet for Persia.
This was a naval escort. of Ia four-mast ships
bearing the Persian Embassadors who were carry.
ing away a daughter of Kubla Kahn a bride fol
their King.
| After many wonderful experiences the Venetians
reached their native city, bronzed by the sun
dressed like Tartars, and speaking their own Ian
guage with such difficulty that ii was long before
their friends could be persuaded of their identity
To convince them that they not mpostors
Marco POLO mace a great banquet, at which hi
and his friends received their guests in gorgeou
: Oriental costume Of crimson satin. Twice durin,
the entertainment they changed their attire max
ing their second appearance in crimson daniask
and the third in crimson velvet. At the end of tn
banquet the garments were divided among tn
! astonished guests.
When the cloth was removed Marco exhibite,
l the coarse Tartar garments they mad worn O,
their travels, and ripping them open, displayed
profuson of tie most fabulous jewels. They wer
now overwhelmed with honors. but the stories the,
7 told of the beauty and riches and splendor of Ca
: thay were always dscredited. Even on his death
4 bed Marco urged 10 retraet his alleged false
d moods; but lac renilrmed all he said 10 the end
e Marco was the first TO make known 10 European
: the existence Of Japan.
d Maffeo soon after his return. became one of th
principal ma gistrates of Venice and Marco was pu
In command of galley in the feet sent against tn
u Genoese lac wounded in engagement
: taken TO Genoa, and kept four five years ca,
= tive. During his imprisonment there lie dictate
e an account of his travels, which he npleted /
1898 ofwhich texts preserved in French La,i
d and Italian.
y The success of the Maffeo embassy and t. pul
u iished accounts OF Marco Polo proved q wonderfl
Il quicke nini TO exploration aud commerce anon
the Western European nations II stimulated tli
trading spirit. the love OF conquest and adventur,
and set invention and speculation actively at worl
" Most wonderful OF all was the compass and the n
suits hieh. though slow, ii brought forth TIL
nayigatora OF the age were SO Ignorant aud super
stitious even though ia advance of the times as
hold back the results 400 years.
a The sailors Of antiquity depended upon the sal
Z and planets for their guides aud confined explor
tious 10 the sesoo&si rivers and small lakes. The
rs guides The winds and tile phenomena ,
j. mature, the movements Of the heavenly bodies an
the influence they were supposed TO exert on Il
in weather The soughing of the breeze In the tree
n, the murInurng ofthe waters, and their dash upo
the shore the flight OF birds the gambois OF fishe
n all the signs ofthe times their daily study
n They believed in omens, and the perching OF
lg fight OF swallows on the prov of a ship would d
ct lay the departure Of a whole feet. The adoptlo