The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-05-01
Suitable Honor to BE
Paid to the CabOts.
Cuadricentennial of the Discoveries Which
Are Responsible for the Fact that North
Americans Speak English.

English, Giovanni Caboto in italian,
and Zuan Cabot or Zuan Caboto in the
Venetian dialect.
His name is first mentioned in the
archives of Venice, when he was given
the rights of an adopted citizen, on
March 2S, 1476, after the legal residence
of fifteen years. This does not contain
any mention of his birthplace. 1t is
next known that in 1895 he, with his
wife and three sons, lived in Bristol,
but 1t is believed that he had been there
for several years previously. Geogra-
piers and mariners had about that time
become convinced that the earth was
sphere, the opinion having been con-
firmed by the voyages of Columbus, and
1t was believed that the shortest way to
reach the Indies would be to start west
and circumnavigate the globe, esHe-
cially since Columbus believed that the
islands he had discovered were outly-
ing bits of the Indies.
Imbued with these ideas, John Cabot
applied for and received patent which
authorized him and his three sons,
either of them or their heirs, to search
for islands, provinces or regions in the
eastern, western or northern seas; and,
as vassals of the king of England, to
occupy the territories found. with an
exclusive right to their commerce on
| paying the king a tlItn part of all the
profits.
DISCOVERED NORTH AMERICA.
Under this charter John Cabot sailed
west some time in May, 1897, from Bris-
tol. with his son Sebastian. When he
| had sailed a distance which he judged
| to be 700 leagues he came to what he
| believed was a part of the dominions
| of the Grand Cham" In reality it
was the coast of Labrador. He planted
| the banner of England and Venice on
| the land and then sailed 300 leagues
| along the coast and landed at various
| times, but did not see any person, al
| though he believed that the country
| was inhabited.
| Cabot and his son returned to Bristol
| in August. Bristol was then, next to
| Venice, the most important commercial
center in Europe, and for years after
ward 1t enjoyed practical monopoly
: of the commerce with the West Indies
and the southern states. The discovery
of the Cabots attracted much attention,
anG on Feb. 3, 1893, Henry VII. granted
| John Cabot special authority to impress
six English ships atno greater charges
than it was the custom to pay for ships
taken for the kings service, enlist COM
| panies of volunteers and take them to
| the countries discovered By Cabot
The date of the discovery is generally
| fixed at June "a, 149T, because of it's be-
ing the date on the map of Sebastian
! Cabot which is cited in Hakluyt. But
another copy of Sebastian Cabot's map
exists at oxford, upon which the date
is 1894, and another in Germany has
the same date. Antiquarians dispute
I as to which is an error.
John Cabot did not make a second
voyage to the new world, but the work
| which he had begun was continued by
his son, Sebastian, who was the dis.
| coverer of tha North American coast
line as far south as Chesapeake Bay
There is nothing in existence to show
| the time and place of Sebastians birth
and whether he was born in Bristol OF