Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1922-01-02
moi Is FROM
WASHINGTON
Interesting Letter From the
National Capital
Some Early
History.
SPAIN AND PORTUGAL
The Scrapping of Battleships
Will not Stop
War.
SPAIN AND PORTUGAL
BY II. NJ. SMILEY.

those of us who have not something
more exciting on oar minds have won
, dered why Portugal has delegates al
, the limitation of arms conference
, Portugal, country which is only two
thirds as large as Iowa, with an army
!. Of but a few thousand, and a small
; sm-boat navy 1t is on account OF
Macao, a colony and seaport of foul
; lsuuare miles on an island ut the west
ern entrance of the Canton river. about
10 miles from Hongkong and close to
100 miles from Canton.
1 But let's begin ut the beginning
Away back in 1860 A. D., Marco Polo
made an overland trip from his native
Italy through Central Asin and to the
Far East. He remained there about
80 years, and his volume of travels con-
corning India, China and Japan is one
OF the worlds most valued books. This
Twas the first time Europe knew that
|Japan (Cipango) existed. The wealth
Of the Great Khan Emperor of China)
was specially mentioned in the book.
Over POO years later, Columbus be-
Iccme deeply interested and determined
IT, visit the Far East. Intercourse
with those countries in the meantime
Having much declined, Columbus want
ed TO gain new way of c0mmunica-
lticn and especially. as a missionary, to
convert the Chinese to Christianity
land if they would not accept the
religion. then, Christian ruler would
lhave the right to take possession an"
euslave them. At least, that is the way
Christian rulers did in those days. Az
time passed. Columbus also saw that
a maritime route to the East indies
would be Of great commercial Valu'
to his country and Europe. But ne
would 20 westward by sea rather than
eastward overland.
The Portuguese however. thought TO
gain the Far Eastern trade from Venice
and Central Europe by an eastern
water route. Diaz, in 14SI Give years
|hcforc Columbus voyage). while en-
ploring in the far south, was swept
Into the sea south of Africa. ana on ms
return he was surprised to tina lalll
or his left. He cont inned thus Tor sew
eral hundred miles, but his sailors
lacking the courage to proceed, force'
him TO return from the Indian ocean
|
storms. as he called it. and home. IN
king of Portugal. however, had copli-
d,nce in the route, and, for psycholos'
co, effect. named it Cape of Good Hope.
bartholomew Columbus, younger
brother of christopher, was WIN
CAPTAIN Diaz on this voyage. and ther"
i no doubt christopher (whO had made
sc uthwcst African voyages with the
Portuguese years before) took deep III
tcrcst in what Bartholomew was dong
land in what he had to say when the
Diaz ship returned.
No doubt his brothers stories OF the
southern cape storms helped to cohllrhl
Christophers determination to go west :
ward TO the Indies. Tremendous Things
sometimes result from common mel
dents. The tale Of the two Americas
would be different. and the rivalries OK
Portugal and Spain might have invoN-
ed the eastern world in war. Ana IL
is because Admiral Dewey. in lS!E''
lissucd the order. "You may fire when
Won are ready, Gridlcy.' and remained
in the Philippines after the battle that
Spaiu, whom Columbus represented, mas
NO delegates in Washington now.
Spain and Portugal.
Under the early Roman Empire
Portugal, one of the oldest states OF
Europe. inhabited by Gallo peoples
was called LuSitania. by the 10Th anu
10th centuries Spain and Portugal were
Ipowerful nations. 1t had taken the
Portuguese explorers 10 years to work
their way down the 5000 miles Oh
West Africa. The Pope had declared
|Portugals possession Of America ana
its islands. Spain desired possession OF
the west. Pope Alexander vi. i'll 149:'
Idiyided the world into east and west by
Ia line go leagues. 10 miles. west oil
the Azores. The line was about 2.N
niles east of New Foundland ana cut
Through Brazil (Which accounts fol
Hra2irS being Portuguese, while near
Ily all the rest of South America and
u,rth 10 the United States, is Spanish.
Thus the Portuguese incentive was to
60 east. Vasco da CANA in l4!S. cir
Clpd around the Cape of Good Hope
to Mozambique, East Africa. 1t wa,
conquered in 150G, India was reached
and the travels extended to Chinese
and Japanese coasts in 1111. Forty
wears later, 1857. Portugal occupied tn,
Port of Macao.
A line of intellectual Manchus ruled
China who were favoraby disposed to
ward the superior culture Of the mixeG