New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-08-29
d. GAMA,S 0rAnRAOENTENARY.

This IS the day the Lustanians celebrate. and
day which means much to the whole world
besides The Kingdom Of Portugal. with its
few remaining colonies and dependencies, with
It's crushing load Of debt, and with the tragic
fatalities that attend its royal house, presents
only small and wellnigh negligible figure upon
the international stage. Yet the time was when
# ranked among the greatest Powers Of Eu-
rope. and ms n commercial and colonizing Power
outranked all others. To that glorious age OF
Portuguese history Vasco da CANA belonged.
Henry the Navigator son of an English prin-
cess had set the mighty pace. Bartholomew
Diaz had kept It mp by doubling the Cape Of
Storms. now Of Good Hope. It was entirely
under this Lusitanian inspiration. If under the
reluctant patronage Of Leon and CASTLE, that
Columbus followed, with his world finding voy-
ages And then. second only TO Columbus In
indomitable daring and in the importance Of
his work, came the young Da Cana. He was
yet scarcely thirty years Of age when. after
actual labors rivalllng the fancles OF Camoens
he ploughed his burrows across the Indian
Ocean TO Calicut and back, and, 400 years ago
today. re-entered the harbor Of Lisbon in tri-
umph
The importance of this achievement we have
said, ranks second only 10 that Of the discov-
erv Of America. It opened the way for the
Portuguese empire In India. now shrunken ~
the mere foothold of Goa; the splendid. though
bliehted promises OF Duplex, and finally the
epoch making work of Give. II led the way
for the Dutch empire builders in the Far East.
for the French conquests IN IndOChna for
the British mastership at Hong Kong. His
vessel was the first OF the innumcrable feet
Of Cane liners and Indiamen. His route, N
the fulness OF time, made Egypt again the
Key Of Asia, and inspired the opening of the
rival Suez route. Arcot and Plassey, the Pyra-
mlds and the Nile were conflicts fought in con-
sequence Of that voyage to Cacut Well may
Portugal. well may the Portuguese in this coun-
Try, and well may all the world to-day give
some tribute of memory and OF honor to the
Admiral OF the Indies.
The story of Da Cana like that OF Column
bus. excmplihes in a striking manner the time
old truth: "Other men labOred, and We are
entered into their abOrs" Columbus led the
way 10 America. But the Spanish flag now
flies over not one rood OF American soil, and
the wealth and glory Of the Western Henri
sphere belong TO aliens and the traditional foes
of Spain. Vasco da Cana led the way 10
India. and. followed by Albuquerque and others,
raised the flag Of Portugal above that empire,
But Dutch and French and English entered
into his labors, and today the vast preponder-
ance of all those regions belongs TO the same
irresistible conquerng race that has made North
America its own The decline of Old Goa from
the rank Of vast and splendid metropolis 10
that Of small and squalid village s only
typical Of the fading away OF the dreams Of
Portuguese dominion in that quarter Of the
globe The difference in relationship between
east and west is, however to be noted Be
tween the Spanish and tho Anglo-Saxon races
there have been centuries OF angry antagonism
rising 20 fever heat IN the first scramble fol
America, and lasting until-let US hope ending