Evening star., 1909-06-15
Friend of Capt. John Smith.

There are evidences that Hudson was
a friend of Capt. John Smith and that
he knew Of Smiths settlements in Vir-
ginia while he was cruising along the
Atlantic coast.
1t is also evident that he was man
of scientific knowledge. because of his
Intimate relations with Rev Peter Plan
thus. the most eminent geograp pher in Eu-
rope at that time, and Jocodus Hondius.
a map-maker and geographer whose re-
searches and learning made Amsterdam
the center of geographical science at that
time There is record that Master
William Stere Marchant in the year 1908
translated out of the Morse language into
high Dutch and after out of high Dutch
into low Dutch. book treatise upon
navigation for the use Of Henrie Hud-
son. This shows that Hudson was
student of geography and navigation, and
after his first two voyages he must have
become a famous man or he would not
have been invited to Holland by so i'm
portant a concern as the Dutch East In
dian Company to take command of its
expeditions.
All four of Hudson's voyages were fail
ures SO far as their original objects were
concerned. for he could not discover what
did not exist-a northwest passage to
India; but the indirect consequences were
very important: first, by increasing the
worlds knowledge of geography: second,
by his discovery Of the arctic whale fish
cries. which led to the establishment of
very valuable sea industries among the
English and the Dutch: third. the settle
ment of Manhattan Island and the val
ley of the Hudson river; fourth, the es-
tablishment of the great Hudson Bay
Company for traffic in furs.
That Hudson had a wife and children
appears from his contract made with the
East India Company. under which, dur
ing his absence, for the support of his
family. the directors were to pay him
500 guilders which was about S3oO If
he did not come back inside of a year
they were to give his wife 20O guilders
or about $50, which was a rather small
policy of insurance. If he found a safe
passage they were to reward him as they
saw fit. and Hudson and his family were
TO take up their residence in Holland
and he was to accept employment from
no other company.
Proved by Ancient Contract.
This contract was signed January s,
1909. by the Directors of the Dutch
East India Company on the first part
and Mr.. Henry Hudson. Enslishman. as
sisted by Jocodus Hondus. on the other
part"
In making this contract Hondius ap-
pears as interpreter. because al that time
Hudson had not mastered the Dutch Ian
guage. and it is signed Henry Hudson" ="
although afterward he frequently used
the Dutch equivalent. Hendrix, and the
records of the company usually spell his
name that way. There has been a great
deal of discussion on this point since the
people of New York began TO talk about
the celebration. and there is very sharp
divergence of opinion. Hudson was born
IN England and christened Henry, but
England turned him out and he became
Dutchman. He spelled his name
Henry when he first went to Holland
but in later years signed 1t Hendrix -
and the early writers who have taken
the greatest interest in his career from
Gerritsz, who published the first account
of his voyages. down to Washington
Irving, have used the Dutch form The
Albany Day Line Steamboat Company
made an investigation of this subject be-