The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-11-28

For example. In tho first chapter. the author
DOSES tho question, Was the discovery OF
America a blessing to mankind : Aftor pointing
out that tho Abbs Reynal answered the quos-
zion In the negative. and that tho Able Gently,
writing on the eve Of the French Revolution.
was inclined to agrco with him. Mr.. Fiske re-
calls tho much more recent fact that Mr.. Charles
Francis Adams has undertaken to demonstrate
that tho discovery OF America was fraught. for
ut least q century. with moro OWL than benefit
70 mankind. What Mr.. Adams had in view was
the vast treasure drawn by Spain from America
in tho sixteenth century, and expended by her
In a crusade against religious and political
Freedom. Mr.. Fiske himself says that. IL the
world was much more interested in the Western
Hemisphere in 1892 than In 1892. 1t was be-
cause of the constructive work, political and
social. that had been done hero In tho interval
by English.speaking men. surely" he con-
tinues. "ifthere was nothing to show but the sort
OF work in colonization and nation making that
characterized Spanish America under its old
regime. there would be small reason for cele-
brating the completion OF another century Of
such performance. During the present century.
indeed, various parts Of Spanish America have
begun to take on n fresh political and social
life. SO that, in the future, much may be Hoped
from them. But the ideas and methods which
Jaw kuliC thio . h"'S S~Sf
the ideas and methods of English-spoaking poo.
pie. however imperfectly conceived and repro
duccd.' Mr.. Fiskc finds tho most important
putcome of the discovery OF America In tho
great historic fact that colonial empire for Eng
land and for Holland grew directly out of the
long war in which Spain used American and
East Indian treasures with which to subdue tho
English and Dutch peoples. and to suppress the
principles of civil and religious liberty. which
MI - -
spnin the best part of her East Indian Empire.
and the Elizabethan sea kings, who crippled
Philip ii. in the New World, led the way direct
ly to the English colonization Of Virginia. Thus
It came about that the discovery of America
"opcned up q fresh soil, enormous in extent and
capacity, for the possession OF which the lower
and higher types of European civilization and
social rolity were to struggle. In this new
arena tho maritime peoples Of Western Europe
fought for supremacy; and the conquest of SO
vast a field has givon to the ideas of the vic
torious people, and 10 their type OF social polity
an unprecedented opportunity for growth
and development. Sundry sturdy European
IDEAS transplanted into this Western soil.
have triumphed over all competitors and
thrivcn so nightly rs to react upon all
parts of the Old World. some more, some
less, and thus to modify tho whole course
of civilization. This Is the deepest signif-
cameo OF tho discovery Of America; and a due
appreciation OF it gives to our history, from Its
earliest stages, an opic grandeur, as the success
sivc situations unfold themselves, and events
with unmistakablc emphasis record their neral.
In the conflict OF Ti.nns that absorbed the cner-
GIGS OF tho sixteenth century, the question
whether it should be the world of Calderon or
the world OF Shakespeare that was to gain In
finito power of future expansion was a question
of incalculabio Importance to mankind"
In tho same chapter, after n citing the mysteri
Gus fate OF Whites Colony on Roanoke Island,
which has boen II subject for speculation even
to the present day. Mr.. Fiske proceeds to indicate
the significance of the defeat of the Armada
"Nothing." he says. could better illustrate
than tho pathetic fatc of this little colony how
necessary 1t was to destroy the naval power Of
Spain before England could occupy the soil o.
North America. The defeat of the invinciblt
Armada was the opening event in the history
of the United States. 1t was the even
that made all the rest possible. Without 1t
the attempts ut jamestown and Plymouth
could hardly have had more success than tn
attempt at Roanoke Island. An infant colon.
is like an army at tho end Of a long line of com
munications; it perishcs il the line Is cut. BE
fore England could plant thriving States IL
America. sho had to control the ocean routes
s"he ~far.sightcd Raleigh understood the condt
tions of the problem. When he smote tn
Spaniards at Cldiz. he knew 1t was q bio,
struck for America. Ho felt the full sil
nifcance of the defeat of the Armada, and. /
spite Of all his disnppointmcnts with yirginii
he never lost heart. In 1902. he wrote to 81
Robert Cecil: Il shall yet live to see 1t an Ems
ltsh nation"