The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-06-14
SOME NEW hooks.
Christ opher Columbus.

We arc Indebted 10 Mr.. JOHN poh'
TEACHER. author OF "The Continent o.
America" and "The Cabotian Discovery,
for the first volume OF an important wor'
entitled Ohristohper Columbia (PutnaIns,
This volume includes an installment OF
the Journal OF Col,inlbus's first voyage and
carries Ms TO the first landfall. which oui
author believes to have been made on wat.
ling Island. The biographical and ctitica
study N the great discoverer Ia preceded
nv two essays on Peter Martyr and Far
tolor6 de- las Casas. the first historians
OF America. Mr.. Thatcher tells us IN an
Introductory note that his work has doup'e
m,rrose; Rrst, to give the reader OF to-day
AZ far al II may he practicable, In exact
facsimile, such published knowledge OF
Columbus and his discovery as was a'ah-
able TO n reader at the beginning OK the
sixteenth century; and, second, to give
the reader OF to-day such knowledge con-
corning the discovery as has come to the
world since that period Many OF the
documents here presented appear for the
first time in English. and some OF the DOCKS
given in facsimile have never before peeh
reproduced The earliest published news
concerning the first. third ana iour,n
Columbian voyages reached the worm
through books now represented In each w
stance by a unique example. These oooHe'
together with the earliest published ac-
count Of the second voyage are reProou'Fu
in facsimile. and. with the exception Oh
the Folio Spanish Letter OF the First voyage
they are here given for the first time inc
entire journal Of Columbus is here printed
directedly from the text of Navarrete'
with corrections and additions lo'lnh IN
the Historic Of Las Casas. No at'en'P.
has fbeen made to correct matter Nuo'e"
In Latin, Spanish and Italian, except III
instances where the student might be mis-.
led The original text has been iollo"eo
litetally, in order to furnish to blnhogra.
phers and students exact descriptions OF
original texts by which they may verify
examples OF the same when sought ter their
own libraries.
Certain questions will at once suggest
themselves. and by u = answers given tne
value OF the work before us VIII To some
extent be tested, but no difference OF opinion
regarding controverted matters should I'M
pait our appreciation OF the immense
amount OF research, the results OF when
are here embodied Some OF the ques-
tions to which we refer are these What
xas,.the place of Columbus's birth, and what
vas the datef Did he base his beliet IN
the practicabty OF reaching Asia by sail
ing westward across the Atlantic on the
ideas of Toscanelli the Italian scientist,
or on the report Of seaman who mad
actually discovered land on the western
side OF the Atlantic? Finally, which WAS
the island on which his first landfall was
made and which he called Guanahani?
Even in tine time OF Ferdinand Column
bus, the discoverers son there was dispute
as to which Of six places could claim nonor
from his fathers birth. Some said that ne
was from Ncrvi others that he was from
Cug,ireo; still others that he was from
Bupiasco which are all small places near
the city of Genoa. and Oh the same coast;
others contended that h, vas Savonese.
and others Genoese; while still others
maintained that he was from PlacenZa.
Mr.. Thatcher ponts out that in this par
ticylar enumeration of the claimants
Ferdinand Columbus does not indicate
that Genoa was the real birthplace, although
he knew wei! his fathers statements con-
corning that subject Our author goes
into the question at great length and
arrives at The conclusion that the doct-
mentary evidence and the testimony OF
trustworthy witnesses favors the claim
of the Gsnocse that Christopher Columbus
the discoverer, was born in the city OF Genoa.
He does not undertake, however. to fix
the exact spot in the city where Columbus
was born or where he spent his youth,
but he deems It probahl" that the house
stood near the gate st. Andrea.
The date Of the birth Of Columbus has
been assigned to various years between
143O and 1850. After carefully reviewing
the testimony. Mr., Thatcher admits that
we cannot tell with absolute certainty
when the discoverer was born. We do not
know positively the hour. the day or tie
year when he came into the world. All
we can say il that study Of documentary
evidence. comparison OF dates and events
and consideration Of the credible and the
probable unite in the selection Of ono date.
Awaiting the discovery 81 authoritative
testimony 10 the contrary, we believe the
birth of Christopher Columbus was in the
city of Genoa. and in the year OF our Lord
1915"
1t ia not after all a matter of great mo ment
to learn just when or where Columbus
was born. 1t is of incomparably more
importance to decide whether he deserve d
all the credit of the discovery, or whether
he profited by the labors and achievements
Of namele,e mariner who was really the
first discovarer Of the New World. The
latter alternative is adopted and vigorously
upheld by Mr. Henry Vignaud, secretary
of the United States Embassy in Paris
He contends that Columbus had no scientific
theory and no idea of reaching China by
sailing TO the west and that his only motive
for the voyage was TO nnd land in that
direction, a report Of the existence Of which
he had received from an unknown pilot
Asa letter of l47i. attributed to Toscanelli.
would, II genuine, disprove this contention.
Mr. vignaud further maintains that it
was forged ny Bartholomew Columbus
but that this forgery was an afterthought.
and was perpetrated some time after Col
umbus's first voyage. Mr.. Vignaud does
not accuse Columbus himself Of being
privy to the forgery of the Toscanelli letter
vof I%7t. hut he asserts that review of all
tile facts places before IFS the following
dilemma:
"lf the, letter he spurious. Columbus
may have remained ignorant Of the fraud,
and, consequently, he could not be ex-
pected TO mention fact he NAV not have