The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1901-09-05
HE ASSAILS COLUMBUS
CONCLUSION OF vlcNAUD ABOUT
THE DISCOVERY OF, AMERICA.

navians-Tarnishing His Fame.
For more than twenty years Mr..
vlgnaud. first Secretary to the United
States Embassy in Paris, has been
working on Il book which Is likely to
convey the last word in the famous
controversy as to the discovery of
America, wries a correspondent of
the New York Sun. An account of It's
conclusion viii be of interest now.
Mr.. vignaud after minute and palms.
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-
tigation will materially alter many
long-existing 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 Scandinavians has long
been an accepted fact among scholars.
and Is very concluslvely 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 n manner that leaves no pos
slble doubt to any fair-minded unprs-
judiced reader.
But 1t is not equally well known that
even in Columbus's lifetime. and be-
fore his own greatly trumpetcd 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
ern Europe. and. curiously enough,
with some of the red Indian dialects
of the continent they were the hrst to
discover in modern times.
1t is known that Columbus himself
made voyage to Iceland on a Basque
vessel. and there probably he heard of
the early voyages of the Scandna-
yians. for 1t was from their Icelandic
rome that they set out on their west
ern expeditions to the coast of Green
land and America. But there is no
reason to suppose 1t was these early
exploits that fired his ambition to dis
cover the western world. The true
incentive came from voyages that had
not become legendary.
Only few years before his great
voyage 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.
Some of these reached Spain, and
good reason exists to believe that
Christopher Columbus himself con-
yersed 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 mutterlngs We're unnoticed
amid the universal burst of admira-
tion that greeted the exploit of the
bold and intrepid Italian sailor, more
especially az the court saw cause to
encourage his popularity, the keen
witted Italian being n useful tool for
the aggrandlzement 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 firm basis the record
that 1t was he and he alone who was
entitled to the fame of the discovery
OF the new continent. This end was
accomplished by Cclumbus's son Die
so, who made public letter from the
celebrated cosmographer Toscanelli,
addressed to the navigator, wherein
the learned geographer approved his
plans for his westward voyage. de-
clared that he had himself long enter
tanned similar views and that in 1474
he had sought to persuade Alfonso of
Portugal of their corrcctncss. address
ing to that monarch a memorial.
copy of which he enclosed to Colnn-
Eus.
Now. Mr.. Vlgnard proycs that This
letter Is nothing more than q forgery,
both by internal evidence and by the
collection Of Il number OF facts, which,
though largely oir-Nnstantial cvl.
dence, make, when taken together, a
very strong chain Of proof. He be-
llevas that the actual forger was Co
lumbus's brother, who was. Ike Co
lrmbus, man OF remarkable talent
and equally free from inconvcnient
scruDlec
This letter has successfully kept OBJ
Jectors silent Cor centuries. Mr. Wig
maud also shows that the family of Co
lumbu1 have at various times dc
stroyed documents relating to the life
of Columbus, tho last occasion being
OF recent date.
Although Al Italian. 1t is rcnarka-
bic that. while he was a volumlnors
wrifpr In SDn nieh fniv ono Sm0l1 lcp