The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-08-13

Did Cabots first discovery take place in / 494
| or in 1897? Did John Cabot in other words,
| touch the American continent four years and
thirty-seven days or only about year before
Christopher Columbus? There is no doubt
that the letters patent granted to Cabot old not
issue until 1490. and that the first voyage au-
thorized by King Henry VII did not take place
until the following year. But the question is.
would the letters patent have been issued I'M
less Cabot could have adduced evidence that.
in previous voyage undertaken at his own
cost or that OF Bristol merchants he had al
ready found new land In the West? In this
controversy Prof. Tarducci defends the date
1904. while Mr.. Harrisse favors 1897; but
here We are on the formers side In
the first place. we have the state-
ment OF the Spanish Ambassador. Don
Pedro de Ayala. made In 1853. to the
effect that for seven years past the people of
Bristol, melted by the fancies OF this Genoese
1--WE have seen that the person thus described
was John Cabot had furnished two. three, or
four caravels each year to g % in search of the
islands Of Brazil and tho Seven Cities" Ayala's
words make 1t plain that Cabots original pur
pose was to find one OF the islands said to be
scattered In the ocean and which for so many
years had excited the imagination OF the men
of the sea. 1t would be mistake to suppose
that he had primarily aimed at reaching the
coast OF Asin by the west: this greater UNDER
taking he did not resolve upon until the news
reached London Of the first voyage OF Christie
pher Columbus After the discovery by Co.
lumbus was made known. John Cabot, instead
OF contin uing to sail at random on the bound
less wators of tho Atlantic. steered straight
to the west In the certainty of striking.
aftor the example OF the great Genoese.
the eastern shores OF Asia. His labors that
had hitherto been fruitless were now crowned
with success. He found land and he deemed
1t to belong to the empire OF the Great Khan.
This discovery. as Prof. Tarducci believes. was
made on June "a 1494. His son Sebastian has
left record OF the fact In the planisphere
which he constructed In the year 1914. To the
right and left he places various legends and
inscriptions In explanation Of various points of
the planisphere. and one OF these in tho oripi-
nal Spanish reads thus: This land was dis
covered byJohn Cabot. Venetian. and Seba stian
Cabot, his son. the year OF the birth of our Sa
viour. Jesus Christ 1494. on the oath OF Juno.
In the morning. TO which they gave the name
First Land Seen. aud to a great island which is
opposite the said land they gave the name st.
John. because 1t was discovered on that day."
The Latin which accompanies this Spanish in
scription says more particularly that the ISL
and Is called St John after the Baptist. whose
feast was celebrated on that day by tho
Catholic Church. Strange to say, In no other
place besides Sebastian Cabot's planisphere ia
any record found OF this discovery: 80 that
there has been much debate on this insorlp
ton whether 1t should be ad mitted as it stands
or whether an error In trains crption should bs
held to have been made. pretext for the
is supplied by the fact that Sebas.
han Cabots original map has been lost, and
the only remaining copy is preserved I'm the
National Library at Paris. From this is taken
the copy OF the Inscription Just quoted. or the
lost copies. one was In Oxford and the other
1t Whitehall. The Inscription on the former
was read and copied by Nathan KocbIafY.
'alled in Latin Chytrlus. while tho inscription |
On the COPY at Whitehall was inserted by Hak. |
uyt In his collection The Inscription pre. |
served by Chytreus 10 identical with that lust |
quoted from tho copy Of the chart still extant Mt
Paris. The inscription given by Hakluyt
however. puts l4s7 instead OF 1904. and with
him agrees very old chronicle of Bristol
which says that; In the year l497, tbe p1tb
II June. on ST. Johns day. was Newfoundland
ound by Bristol men In u ship called the Mat
hew" The evidence on each side being so
venly balanced. opinions have been divided
ONE contending with Mr.. Harrisse for l4D7
nd others with Prof. Tarducci for l494. Both
arties have sought to confirm their opinion NV
ppeaiinE " the lstteEs patent granted to