Tombstone epitaph., 1892-04-24
COLUMBUS FLEET.
Recent Investigation Concerning
 the Discoverers Shipa
Interesting Particulars of the Great Soyager's Equipment Cleaned from Ancient Documents Found
 tn spain

Europe and America vie with each other at the present time in presenting to the world interesting facts, gleaned from researches in connection with Christopher Columbus and the discovery of this country. the eommemoration of which is soon to be celebrated, The Austrian Maritime Review has recently published very interesting illustrated
 article, the result of investigations that
 have been made, particularly in Spain, in order to ascertain beyond doubt the exact type and maritime value of the three ships that brought the great ex-
 plorer to the boundaries of new conti-
 nent. These ships, as we already know,
 were called 'caravelles." but only the latest researches have gained for us the knowledge that this name did not apply to any particular class of vessel.
 The Spaniards used the word Cara
 bela," which they borrowed from the Franconian tongue, and which has its
 root in the Greek word ''Karati," to
 designate ships that bore not the slight
 est resemblance to each other, either in construction or capacity.
 The investigators gathered all possi-
 ble proofs that could be furnished either by the admiral's diary, particu-
 larly the log book, and the sketches
 which Columbus published through
 Juan de Ia Cosa, his pilot, besides many
 ancient documents pertaining 10 this subject. This thoroughness on the
 part of the investigators has enabled them to furnish to the marine painter
 Rafael Manleon the means for execut-
 ing an aquaren, representing the feet
 of Columbus
 The three vessels were the Santa
 Maria. the Nina and the Pinta. The
 dimensions of the Santa Maria were as follows: Length of keel. fifty-eight feet; between perpendiculars. seventy
 feet; displacement of tonnage, from
 one hundred and twenty to one hun
 dred and thirty. The crew numbered
 no more than ninety men at any time, and the ship was able to carry sufii- cient water and provisions for them.
 The admirals diary speaks of the size of his lifeboGt, but treats the arrua-
 ment only supericially. 1t mentions, for example, that December 26 the ad-
 miral caused to be fired una Lom-
 barda y una Espingarda.' The latter
 of these arms is very well known, while the former is cannon of small caliber
 used in Lombardy. The tacl1elage of
 the Santa Maria was that of a small
 three-maSter with five single sails. The mainmast had q scuttle, which the sketches show to have been round. like
 basket The general form of the hull was that which was common to the
 round vessels of that age. In the stern
 the ship carried large cabin-house.
 with a small one in the bow.
 The seaworthiness of the Santa Maria was excellent. The admiral's
 diary speaks thus of it; .'The vessel be- 1 haved splendidly in b-d weather; it travelled with the swiftness of a good flyer" Ii was the same with the other ships, and the log records often fifteen Italian miles an hour. which is equal to
 eleven nautical miles. speed that was
 very good for the vessels of that age The dimensions of the other two ves- sells arc not recorded. but the sketches
 and designs describe them as of smaller
 size. The Nina resembled the santa Maria the Pinta carried triangular
 sails, which were replaced with square l ones after the first stop at the Canaries. Each vessel carried the Castillian flag
 on its mainmast. and the flag of tine ad- l miral on its mizzenIaast. The Aragon
 ian arms were excluded by order of the queen. because Aragonia refused to
 participate ia dcfraying the expenses of the expedition. The admirars flag was , a white standard with green cross be- tween two crowned letters, F. and l.. the Initials of Ferdinand and Isabella. 4 cross was also painted on e=ery sail
 of the ships, - :-l--T,e~ss :: . oy enc | Spaniards and Portuguese to distinguish their fleets from those of the infidels. 4 canvas. found in the museum of | Madrid, representing the landing of the 1 admiral's fleet al san Salvador, and ex-
 ecuted by the painter Brugada, corre- spends fully with the descriptions set l forth by the Australian Maritime Re- yiexx