The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-09-20

the distance OF $40 leagues. II u 10 Dc note1
that the earliest difference between the two
nations concerning the construction OF this
treaty was first referred to the Pope for ar
bitration, and. this proving unsatisfactory
was then, in the interests of peace sub
mitted to a joint commission. which. within
forty eight hours of its creation, brought
about an amicable adjustment. In TINS
adjustment no reference was made to any
former bull or bulls. grant or grants, from
the Holy See. Both parties proceeded as II
they were free to agree concerning their
respective spheres of influence and az II
Papal sanction had been or would be asked
merely as a matter OF form. 1t Is pointed
out by Mr.. Thatcher that If either Spain or
Portugal had supposed that original SOW
ereignty had resided in the Pope the method
, of procedure would have been different.
| The source Of the rights claimed would
have been recited. As matter of fact.
Alexander W., after issuing the four bulls
in 1893, never took any further notice OF the
matter. but, in Bull issued Jan. "a, 1909.
by Pope Julius II. the Treaty Of Tordesillas
was approved and confirmed. Az we have
seen, the Treaty Of Tordesillas itself drew
no line Of demarcation, but simply provided
that one should be drawn land fixed the dis
lance at which it should be determined from
an indefinite starting point. Strangely
enough, the line was never drawn, as pro-
vided in the treaty. There is indeed, reason
to believe that an attempt was made to fix
the line under an additional agreement
entered into on April Is, 1895, between the
Spanish and Portuguese Governments.
There is, 1t seems, in the General Ar
chives Of the Indies at Seville a report made
In 1879. according to which the Castilian
oosmographers appointed to fi1 the boun-
Diary line took as a basis the island OF San
Antonio, the most western Of the Cape Verde
Islands, whereas the Portuguese took the
Island Of Sal, the most eastern Of the said
islands. The value Of leagues had not
been determined, and the Instruments Of
the geographers were very imperfect; con-
sequently the commissioners differed great
~ among themselves, and the operation
remained unexecuted Nevertheless. the
Portuguese photographers pretended that
Portugal had right to 200 leagues Of land
In Brazil No date is given for this attempt
to determine the line, and the incident Is
not otherwise recorded. A line OF demar-
cation occurred on no Spanish chart for
many years. On a manuscript map, how
ever, made for the Duke of Ferrara. a copy
Of which, drawn in 1902, has come down to
us. there is line which, according to cal
culations offered by Harrisse, on modern
chart would pass about AZ degrees 80 minutes
west OF Greenwich near the River Maran-
hao. 1t does not appear from which Of the
Cape Verde Islands the Portuguese meas
ured their line, but, az they shortened the
distance across the Atlantic, they caused
1t to pass much further to the westward
than they should. A council Of Spanish
geographers and pilots, among whom
were Sebastian Cabot and Juan Vespucius,
drew up on Nov. 10, 1915, a document re-
lating TO the line OF demarcation, but 1t is
lost. On April 49, lS29--after the discovery
of the Philippines by Magellan-a treaty
was signed at Saragossa between Portugal
and Spain, whereby the line OF demarca ton
in the eastern hemisphere was made to pass
II degrees, or 2o7 leagues. east Of the island
Of Ternate in the Moluccas, but nothing
was agreed to respecting the line In the
western world. Here. therefore, was an
incongrlity. meridian line passing down
only one side Of the globe
As Mr.. Thaoher says. it is a matter of
Importance to point out that the famous
line Of demarcation did not emanate from
the Pope, but resulted from mutual agree
ment between Spain and Portugal. Had
the vast terrestrial division been made
by Rome, the nations Of Europe, which then
recognized the Holy See as clothed with
something at least Of temporal power.
might have held themselves bound by it's
commands Made by two nations, parcel
ling out between themselves spheres OF
influence, the agreement was binding only
upon those two nations. II Ia true that
many other countries acquiesced in the
title held by Spain. even over unoccupied
lands, but 1t was partly because at first
they had no interest In America, while
afterward their seeming recognition of
SPANS claim helped to perfect their own
title, derived from conquest and from pur-
chase The real title to the Indies OF the
West was based upon original discovery
and actual possession, the soundest foun-
dations upon which to build an empire.
That title will always be admitted by the
world. In practice. the greed Of a nation
may not 90 beyond the capacity Of its or
ganism Its flag may not float further than
its arms can uphold it.
It is we'll known that one outcome Of
Columbus's second voyage was the founda-
ton Of the city of Isabella on the northern