Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-02-27
DISCOVERY OF AMERICA.
Expensive? No, Total Cost a Little
Over $1,000.

Dramatic circumstances and. it may
AT once be added, the facts OF the
matter as Well, have always assoeiat-
ed Isabella, Queen of Spain. with the
discovery of America through the aid
which she was finally prevailed upon
To give Columbus in 1892. The bic
lures which have been fancifully
painted of his being summoned back
to the Spanish court when he was
leaving in despair at the end of near
" eight years of vain effort are not
needed 10 establish the actual cir
cumstances in memory, But what is
commonly forgotten, and indeed.
would be of ne great Importance to-
day, except for discovery reported
a few weeks since in Spain, is that it
was not due to the aid OF Isabella
alone that the voyage of 1892 was
made possible As matter ofsfact.
II was partly with the aid of royalty
and partly with the aid of the broth
ers. Martin Alonzo Pinzon and Vieen-
te fanez Pinzon, navigators and ship
builders of Palos. who respectively
commanded the Pinto, and Nina,
While Columbus himself managed the
Santa Maria, that the expedition was
enabled to set out. The Pinzons were
part owners of certainly one of these
two smaller craft, and probably of
both, but 1t now appears that in adj
dition to supplying two of the yes
sells of the little fleet, the brothers
also contributed considerable pro-
portion of the funds necessary for its
equipment and maintenance.
1t is stated in the Spanish press
hat ha 10 - 81 r.
have lately been discovered. and that
they show what the brothers contrib
uted to the discovery of America. or.
at least. what We're certain of the
more important items of expense in
cidental to the expedition. Columbus
in his capacity of commander received
the munificent sum of 1900 pesetas. or
about $500 a year, while his two cap
tains received 900 pesetas a year. The
members of the crews are said to have
received SO reals a month. which would
amount to $3.50 if figured according
to the value of the current Spanish
|rea!, or somewhat over twice that
sum if reckoned according to the val
ue of the old Spanish real de Plata.
While it is not stated in these old
account books what the sailors ate or
whether it pleased them, though it is
to be presumed that it did not, since
the inalienable right of all good sail
ormen is to quarrel with their food, it
appears that the cost of the food was
| fixed at pesetas a month for each
man, which is to say about $1.50 for
the month, and 4 to cents day.
The cannon of all three ships cost
about $4,000 pesetas or not very much
more than ii viii cost to fire Single
charge from one of the big cannon on
the latest Dreadnoughts. From Au-
gust, 1892, To March, 1893, the duration
of the first expedition, Columbus is
said to have given to his pilots and
sailors, according to these old ac-
count books. 22,O00 pesetas as their
lpay.
1.-The discovery of the new world"
according to the Journal des Debats
lof Paris, which quotes these facts
| from the Spanish press, appears to
have cost altogether about $4,000 pese-
Itas," which would only amount to a
little over $1,000 in the money of to-
lday. But evidently this total is the
Iresuit of very careless addition,
without any account being taken OF
lwhat the food of the expedition must
lhave cost at the very modest figures
given. Moreover the whole cost of
1.-THE expedition would necessarily in
Iclude many other items But it is
levident enough from these details
THAT whatever may have been the
grand total it certainly was but "a
handful of change from the viewpoint
lof today, and the Journal des Debats
lis not inapt in it's closing comment:
I"If Europe had only known enough
to hold on to ii fhe new worldl, it
would have proved gilt-edged invest
lment. Morocco has cost France more
dearly and also the Congo" No, not
leven if the Democrats take up the
tariff in earnest and the bottom falls
Tout of the market. will there be any
stock purchasable. unless, perhaps, in
lsome wildcat mine. which will prom
Use quite what the new world would
have paid Europe on an original in
Investment of but $4,000 pesetas.-
lSpringfield Republican.