The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-01-24
THE DISCOVERY OF AMERICA
SAID TO HAVE BEEN KEPT A Sc
CRET FROM OTHER NATIONS
FOR SOME YEARS.
BARRED FROM THOSE WATERS.
To Have Published Their Finds
Would Have Shown That They
Had Broken Treaties.
Did Columbus discover American

| which seems to prove that there Is q
rival Of the Genoese navigator, of Lief
Ericsson and other daring navigators.
1t is the finding of an ancient chart
that furnishes new light on the discov-
cry Of America, making it appear that
it was not Columbus who first set eyes
on the Western Hemisphere, but pilots
Of some caravels sent out by the King
of Portugal. It further shows that the
discovery was made in direct violation
of an impending exploration treaty
with Spain; that Portugars ships of
discovery penetrated waters that she
had expressly promised not to enter,
and that the news Of the great find, If
made public, would have made trouble.
1t would have caused her to forfeit all
right to the great prize she had secret
" secured. Hence her silence. Or so
the explanation runs, says the New
York World.
OF the existence Of such a document
nothing was ever known until DR..
Henry Harrisse, the well-known his
torical student, who has for years been
making a study Of the photography Of
| the Columbian epoch, recently discov-
| cred 1t hidden in the archives of the
library of Modena. 1t is in the form Of
huge. closely inscribed map, the first
of America ever drawn, and was made
for the king of Portugal, showing in
the fullest detail then possible the out
lines of the new continent his caravels
had found.
DR.. Philip ]. J. Valentino, the famous
geographical authority. furnishes the
following account Of the great discov-
cry and what it means, showing how it
alters the whole early history Of Amer
| lea and upsets the theories that for
four hundred years have prevailed in
| American histories.
When Columbus returned from his
voyage of discovery he was forced by
| stress of weather to put into Lisbon
harbor. 1t was delicate situation for
| him, because he had left Portugal
secretly to pursue in Spain his quest
of king willing to authorize his trip
However, King John received him cour-
teously but insisted that he should
come to the palace three times; and on
each visit, except the first one, pumped
him about his discoveries.
| Columbus answered him truthfully
|
had made a treaty limiting the area
open to exploration to each. The
| islands he had found-Cuba and Hayti
| were clearly on the Spanish side of
the line. Then, after final confer
| ence with Queen Lenor, Columbus
sailed away.
AS soon as he had weighed anchor
King John summoned the cortes. Dis
tinct pledges had been given to him,
he said. that no Spanish vessel was to
pass the line Of the Canary islands
to the south, and yet Columbus had
sailed beyond this line and claimed
to have found new islands. There
FORE these islands belonged to him.
There was a fleet at anchor at Ma
deira, ready TO start on an expedition
| along the African coast Why not
change it's sailing orders and send it
to search these new waters? 1t was
done Then in order to gain time,
| King John despatched letter describ-
ing the aggrieved feelings of the ma
ton regarding the islands, but saying
not word about his own expedition.
| Notwithstanding. the speed with
which the messenger travelled, rumors
preceded him to CASTLE of the naval
preparations. Ferdinand fastened to
send an envoy to Lisbon, even before
the messengers of King John arrived.
This envoy, Don Lope de Herrera, bore
two missives to King John. One was
a friendly letter entreating King John
! to avoid difficulties certain to arise
| if ships had been sent to seize the new
islands. The second letter contained
curt summons to stop naval prepara-
! lions.
Herrera found nothing suspicious,
for all preparation was being done in
| Madeira SO he delivered the first let
ter He returned to Spain and reported
hte fears to be groundless.
In the meantime, PortugaPs cara
wells were speeding across the Atlantic.
A few days after King Ferdinand's
second letter, the ambassadors arrived,
but did not ask to be shown at once
into his presence. Ferdinand began
to see what this delay meant, so he
wrote to Columbus in haste:
you remember our last, in which
we told you that the king of Portugal
was to send ambassadors to us. We
had long conference, and 1t seems al
most as if no agreement can be reach
ed. They know plainly what our ideas
are, yet tell US that they wish to be
furnished with new instructions. Make
haste to sail as soon as possible. Avoid
the coast of Portugal so that nothing
of your ships will be noticed. And now
about those caravels; the rumor has
been confirmed The ambassadors pre-
tended that one caravel sailed and that
the king sent three caravelS after it tC
seize it. Now, what other object can
this have than that the three caravels
should join the first, and all four to-
gether sail to search those waters
where you found the islands? Moreover
the same ambassadors hint at the be-
lief that there may be mainland lying
beyond them, and perhaps other tracts
of land"
Columbus set sail again. But during
this interval the Portuguese caravels
had crossed the ocean, had sighted the
islands, and sailing beyond them, were
the first white men to set eyes upon
the outlines of the American continent
They discovered the Gulf Of Mexico and
landed upon the shores of Yucatan
They made a survey of the coast, and
to the inlets, projections and other no.
table features gave Portuguese names
Many of the points bear the same
names to this day. Most Of them are
what are known as sailor Names" as
for instance, "Punta Roa" cred point
"Cabo Delgado' marrow cape), "Cabo
do Fin de Abrill'' (end Of ApriD e.
Golfo Baxo" Ghe shallow gulf, "Cabo
Arlear" (cape to strike sails) etc.
Among the twenty-five names on the
discovered document only two appear
to be personal Names VIZ: "Rio de Don
Diego" and "Cabo de Don Maritime"
and these are the names Of two high
councillors of King Johns court, one
the Prior of Crato, Of the Order of st.
John. and the other the kings royal
chamberlain. Both the men were
among the chief inquisitors who ques-
toned Columbus, and both were deeply
CONNECTED with King Johns secret ex-