The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-02-04
AMERICA A NATIVE NAME.
PERUVIAN SCHOLAR WRITES TO
PROVE ITS ORIGIN ON
THIS CONTINENT.
Is Not Derived from vsspueei-Nsvisator'
First Nsms Really Absrioo. instead
Of Anerieo.

INSTEAD OF the name America hav-
ing been derived from that OF Ameri-
go vespucci. it is now asserted that
Amerigo got HIS name from the con-
tinent. Much popular displeasure
always has been visited upon the
shade of the explorer. who has been re-
garded generally as having robbed Column
bus OF his laurels-whether Intentionally
or not being the chief point i'm dispute
A new defender OF vespucci has arisen in
South America. and his ideas have gained
currency through review OF his book,
''fradiciones Pemanes," which has been
published in the Revue Scientihque,
French weekly OF wide circulation. The
author OF the book Is Ricardo Palma, d.
rector OF the National library OF Lima.
Peru. who has made a special study OF
the history OF Spanish America.
In the early part OF his book the Peru
Wan scholar says that he has discovered
facts that go TO prove that the word Am
erica is not derived at all from the cele-
brated navigator. Alberico vespucci AZ
ter some deep researches into the ques-
ton" he says, we have proved that Am
erica Is a name from a place in Nicara-
qua, and there deslgnates hin OF
province Of Chanvoles. BESIDES. the final
lie dn Spanish lea, ique or fcoD re.
ours often in the names OF the Indian
languages OF Central America and like
wise in the Antilles. The word seems 10
have the significance Of grand. lofty or
eminent, and Is applied to mountains that
are not volcanic.
Palma asserts Columbus does not men
ton the word Amerique in his letters. to-
day exceedingly rare, when he makes
mention OF his fourth voyage. ut is
more than probable" writes the Peruvian
savant, that one of his compar MONS spread
verbally the report that the discovered
fs1ld no "A Frn,
lea by the natives of Nicaragua II IL
probable that this name became current
slowly In Europe. They did not have at
that time any narrative or description OF
the Western world except that OF Alber-
leo Nespucci published In 1896 In Latin
and In 1903 In German. So geographers
came to see In the name OF Alberico the
origin OF the name America. which had
come 10 be given not to the locality itself
but 20 the whole continent.
When in 1922. the first map OF the ooun-
try. under the name OF Province dAmart-
que. was published In Bale, Columbus and
his companions were already dead There
were no other persons to oppose this false
name. On the other hand there was In
all Europe no one. either man or woman,
named Amerigo. and. as vespucci called
himself Alberico they would have been
obliged TO call the new world by that
name IL truly he had given his first name
to the land
But as matter OF fact, first names OF
sovereigns alone were given 10 new dis
coveries, as Georgia. Louisiana Maryland
and Philippines. while the explorers gave
them the name OF their family. as Magel-
Ian and Vancouver. Columbo himself has
not left behind him any Christona, but
Columbia. Columbus and Colon.
1T appears clearly" continues the Peru
Wan scholar. that the author OF the man
OF 1872 had gained already knowledge
or the word America through one OF the
companions of Columbus, and had taken
the name OF a part for that of the whole
When this map appeared vespucci was al
ready dead, without suspicion that the his
torians had preserved his name. Accord
ing To the historians. the F'lorentine Yes
pucci tdied February q, at Seville) came
the first time to the new world in 1897 and
the description that he made OF the coun-
try was published in 1905, in ST Die I,or-
raine, by Waldeseemueller. 1t was this
book that spread the error, for in an in
PRODUCTION It declared that the name of
America was derived from that OF YES
pucci"
The theory Is that--the name America
having been given to the land md the i,ie.
having gained currency that Ii had been
80 given In honor of the navigator--writers
besa 10 refer always to vespucei as Ameri.
80 NespBcci. instead OF Alberieo Vespuc-
CT which was his real name. Thus Ves-
pucei obtained the name by which he il
known In history from the continent, in
stead OF giving his own name 10 the dis
covery
Several students have written books dur
Ing the last few years TO prove. however.
that Vespucci was the actual discovereF