The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-01-06

Ribero began TO make his map In l49A
That was only two years after helanding
OF Colum bus. The success OF Columbus
started horde Of adventurous navigators
across the Atlantic, and during the follow
ing decade discovery went on at prodi-
gious rate. 1t was busy time for
geographers, who added thousands OF
leagues OF territory to their maps after
every fresh voyage.
Columbus himself doubtless furnished
much Of the information which Ribero
used In making his map, and be had made
four voyages OF discovery up to 1904. That
was four years after Cabral reached the
coast OF Brazil and five years after Pinzon
discovered the mouth OF the Amazon,
while in the same year Alonzo de Ojeda,
accompanied by the Florentine Amerigo
Vespucci touched the coast OF South
America and sailed along the coast as far
as the Gulf Of Maracalbo. Vespucci after
wards made three voyages to the Brazil
ian coast, and In 1904 published book on
the subject, which was the means OF se-
curing for him the honor OF giving shis
name to the new continent. Many peo-
pie have thought that the Ribero map
which the Pope has loaned to the Worl DIS
Fair was the first one upon which the
name America appeared. AS matter OF
fact IL does not appear there at all.
The copy OF the map which we present
herewith shows all OF North and South
America that is depleted on the Ribero
map, together with the famous bisectlngi
line. II scents to leave Portugal out. with
only small section OF South America and
Labrador, while Spain got all the rest and
"the Moluccas," the original cause OF tho
quarrel.
One popularity OF Rlberos map is that
instead OF naming places, he described
every indentatlon OF the coast, and all
along the Atlantic seaboard words like
these are written: Archipelago" bay"
SANDY Shore" estuary" He seems 10
havo missed Long Island, however, per-
baps the most conspicuous feature OF the
coast on modern maps. Rlbero. IL Is be-
lieved. picked up this information from
the discoverers after their return, ana
went over their maps and charts
making comparisons. Florida Is the
only part OF North America now re-
tanning the name under which IL appears
on Ribero's map. The whole OF South
America he called "Mundus Novus."
or the New World. while no one individual
name was given to the northern part OF
TIE continent
Librarian Geo. c. Hurlburt, OF tho
American Geographical Society, has
taken deep interest In the Ribero ma,
and has carefully studied the copy of IL In
his custody. Ho said: 1T is notsurpris.
Ing that the pope should have been APP
pealed to In tho dispute between Spain
aud Portugal, because he occupied a neu-
tral position and any decision ho might
render would carry more weight than
that OF any other man. The popes foI
centuries have been deciding mat.
ters OF this kind. and IL is only
short time since the present pontin
acted as arbitrator in the matter Of
the Caroline Islands. Alexander vi. die
not draw the line In any haphazard man.
ner, but only decided after careful con.
slderatlon. Although he has been much
criticised In other matters. he was very
profound scholar and thoroughly CON-
petent TO decide such q dispute. He was
then the head OF Christendom. and ell the
navigators belonged 10 the church, while
some Of the sblest and most scholarly
men alive were In the church and com.
petent TO render assistance Ia arriving al
. lust deelsloas