The suburban citizen., 1901-09-07
HE ASSAILS COLUMBUS
CONCLUSION OF VcNAUO ABOUT
THE DISCOVERY OF AMERICA.


misunderstanding His Fame.
For more than twenty years Mr..
Vignaud, first Secretary to the United
States Embassy In Paris, has been
working on book which Is likely to
convey the last word in the famous
controversy as to the discovery OF
America, writes a correspondent of
the New York Sun. An account Of its
conclusion will be of interest now.
Mr.. Vlgnaud. after minute and pains
taking research, is of the opinion that
all existing documentary evidence on
the subject has now seen the light of
day. The net result of modern inves-
tlgation will materially alter many
long-existlng impressions about Col
umbus and his character. For one
thing, almost conclusive evidence ex'
lists to show that the great discoverer
was an arch-humbug and liar Of the
| first degree
That America was known and Wis
| tied by the Scandinavlans has long
been an accepted fact among scholars,
and is very conclusiyely proved by
that eminent writer. Rain, who has la.
| boriouSly traced the voyages Of the
various vikings who successfully Wis
tied the Western Continent. He has
even identified several of their settle
ments in manner that leaves no pos
sible doubt to any fair-minded unpre-
judicCd reader.
But it is not equally well known that
even in Colpmbus's lifetime, and be-
fore his own greatly trumpeted discOv-
cry, the continent had been reached
by European sailors driven out Of
their course by long continued bad
weather The finest sailors OF the
Spanish kingdom were then as now the
gallant Basques, that marvellous peo-
pie who, from being probably in dis
tant ages the original inhabitants Of
Europe are now confined to districts
of France and Spain, near the Pyre-
nees, maintaining their own customs
and, above all, their own language,
that language which shows no connec-
tion with any of the other tongues OF
the world, unless it be slight traces
with the Finnish languages Of North
ern Europe, and, curiously enough,
with some Of the red Indian dialects
Of the continent they were the first to
discover in modern times.
II Is known that Columbus himself
made a voyage to Iceland on a Basque
vessel and there probably he heard Of
the early voyages Of the Scandina-
vians, for it was from their Icelandic
1me that they set out on their west
en expeditions to The coast of Green
land AMI America. But there is no
reason to suppose it was these early
exploits that fred his ambition to dis
cover the western world. The true
incentive came from voyages that had
not become legendary
Only a few years before his great
voyage Il Spanish vessel had reached
the continent and had returned in
safety as far as Madeira, but with only
very few survivors Of the crew aboard.
Eome OF these reached Spain, and
good reason exists to believe that
Christopher Columbus himself Goa.
versed with one Of these old sea-dogs
who was passing his declining days in
the misery OF the slums of PalOs. When
in his turn Columbus came back and
admirable self-trumpeter that he was
set the world talking about his great
achievement, the gossips in these same
slums and wharfs Of Palos were
heard to say that he had only done
what others had done before him.
But their mutterings were unnoticed
amid the universal burst of admira-
ton that greeted the exploit of the
bold and intrepid Italian sailor, more
especially as the court saw cause to
encourage his popularity, the keen
wltted Italian being a useful tool for
the aggrandizement of Spain.
Columbus, however, had not failed
to take note Of The fact, and he real
lied how the gossip might in the fu-
ture dim his renown unless steps were
taken to put on a firm basis the record
that 1t was he and he alone who was
entitled TO the fame Of the discovery
VI AAS hNh NunllAthts 4 HIS Gnu was
accomplished by COlumbuss son Die
go, who made public letter from the
celebrated cosmographer Toseanclli,
addressed to the navigator, wherein
the learned geographer approved his
plans for his westward voyage de-
clared that he had himself long enter
tained similar views and that in 1874
he had cought to persuade Alfonso Of
Portugal of their cOTec trcss, address,
ing to that monarch a memorial. o
copy c; which he enclosed to ColuIl-
bus.
Now, Mr.. ViSrall proves that this
letter is nothing moro than a forgery.
both by internal evidence and by the |
collection Of NUMBER or facts, which, |
though largely circumstantial evil |
dence, make, when taken together a |
very strong chain Of PROOF. He be- |
lievcs that the actual forgcr was Co
brother. who was, like Co |
man Of remarkable talent !
and equally fire. from inconvenient |
ccruples.
This letter has successfully kept OBJ
JectOrs sllont for centuries. Nj. Wig |
asasa 4 IL. /. L 4