New-York tribune., 1903-07-17


question of islands or lands to be discovered; 1t
only refers to a new route to proceed TO the
Indies. 1t is not, therefore. some communication
made TO him by a Florentine or some otner
Italian conversant with Toscanelfs ideas ana
aware of his correspondence with Martins OF
Columbus that led the duke to make MS IN
quiry 1t is the rumor coming from spain that
it was said there Columbus had peeh IN COM
munication with Toscane that arouses the
dukes interest and curiosity. were II other-
wise if some one in Italy had known of the ex-
istence of this correspondence, the duke re-
searches and the excitement created py Ile US US
coVery Of Columbus would nave Drought lIle
fact to light. Florentines would at once nave
claimed for their illustrious fellow cltizen the
full credit due to him for his snare IN che sredI
event But not a word heard. Neither be-
fore nor after the discovery did single man oI
that oroun of thinkers and writer's. among whom
ToscaneIli had lived to the age of eighty-nVe'
raise his voice to proclaim that ther sFedt
townsman and friend had occupied himse1 VIII
the subject of reaching the Indies by way Oh
the West and had thus led to the great as
covery made by Columbus.
Certain expressions used in the Toscanelh
letter. like Great Khan" and 'Cathay," could
not have been used by man of the FIorehtlhe
astronomers learning, Mr. Vignaud declares, for
in his time they were out of date. Therefore the
letter in which they occur is suspect, at least
Sir Clements r. Markham AYERS that Toscanell
could have used them, but his reasons for so
believing are easily disposed of. His other
points fare no better at Mr.. Vignaud's hands,
who traverses each of them in detail, and
leaves them all discredited To one point how
ever he promises to return. If as Sir Clements
maintains, Columbus sailed from Palos with
the design Of going to the Indies, Mr.. Vignauds
theory he admits, ''is shaken to its very founda-
tions and the question of the authenticity Of
Toscanellis letter, we'll the truth Of the
story Of the nameless pilot, lose all their I'M
portance" This question will be fully examined
in book upon which Mr.. Vignaud is now at
h. 11Tr7aT or
vanced in his recent volume remains unassaila-
BILE. and he hints that his next publication will
only strengthen his case.
Mr.. Beazley's objections to his theory he con-
flutes with no less success than in dealing with
those brought by Sir Clements R. Markham
But the details Of his reply need not be repro
duced here, especially as in the second of the
pamphlets mentioned above the whole subject
is reopened and divers crucial elements in the
situation are handled with crushing force. Sir
Clements r. Markham has stated that I'VE re-
ceive the Toscaneln letters on unusually good
authority. Few documents OF their age are so
well attested." Mr.. Vignaud cannot refrain
from excaining with amazement over this pas
sage. AS to the unusually good authority" he
says that the sole evidence we have is that OF
Las Casas and Ferdinand Columbus, who re-
frain from saying whence they got the docu-
ments, who do not admit they ev r saw the
Latin originals, although between them they
possessed all the papers, all the books of CO.
lumbus, including that volume Of 4Eneas Syl-
vius, wherein was discovered in our own day
a Latin copy Of the original Where, them
he asks were the originals to be found unless
among the papers of Columbus; and II both
thought it worth while giving translations to the
world. the in Spanish, the other in italian,
why not the original?' To the curious declara-
ton that few documents OF that age are so well
attested" Mr.. Vignaud replies that they have
left trace behind; that Columbus, who was
chiefly interested in them never breathed a
word about them: that copies of them were not
produced till fifty years after his death; that
neither King Joao II, who exercised the royal
authority at the very time ToscaneM is sup
posed to have written to Martins the Junta
to which King Joao submitted Columbus's pro-
posal ever heard a word" about them. and so
on, and
Perhaps the most piquant phase Of this con-
troversy is reached in the matter of Columbus's
logbook from which Sir Clements r. Markham
has picked out quite crowd Of passages and
expressions which are also to be found in the
letter." Naturally. would say, thereupon,
that Columbus borrowed from the writer Of the
Toscanelli letter, or vice versa. Sir Clements r.
Markham prefers to believe that Columbus bor-
rowed from the letter. But Mr.. Vignaud pro-
this view of the matter; that he cannot justify
his assertion, and what is more. he points out
that the very drift of his opponents argument
lands him in the most serious kind of dilemma.
If what Las Casas says be true, if what you
maintain be correct, that the writings Of Colum-
bus are filed with facts, names and information
borrowed from the Toscanelli letter. then 1t fol-
lows that he. whose defence you undertake
against me, has deliberately appropriated an
others property, and has striven never to utter
a word which might reveal at once his plagla-
rism and ingratitude nave accused MN OF
hiding important information it would appear
he had received from an unknown pilot; you go
much further, and reveal him committing lar
baser deed, for you put him in the attitude or
one stripping another Of a vast conception, and
of all the data necessary to carry II out; as
assuming a plumage to which he has no right,
and posing before posterity as the author OF a
great scheme which he had only hlched from his
neighbor.
that the conception was really COlumbus's, and
that he only asked for the approval and advice
of Toscanelli, then l answer that, according TO
Las Casas according to you yourself. the letter
and map of Toscanelli played preponderating
and decisive role in the discovery of America
and that consequently, Columbus remains
weighted by the accusation or having sys-
tenatically suppressed the name Of the man TO
whom he owed so much. Such Columbus as
that sir is not more worthy Of respect than
the one whose weakness I have felt compelled
in honesty to reveal, and by doing so nave
fear somewhat incurred your indignation
The closing words of this fragment might sug-
qest that a SAVIOR of bitterness had been i'm
norted into the controversy, but as a matter of
fact II has been conducted with exemplary
courtesy. Sir Clements R. Markham writes with
the warmth of a specialist whose convictions
have long been settled Mr.. Vignaud replies to
hin, with the vigor of an innovator who is
equally convinced OF the soundness Of his case.
Roth however. observe the rules of the game