New Britain herald., 1926-02-20
PALOS STARTING s
 PORT OF COLUMBUS
Recent Transatlantic Flier Also
 Used Same Place ,s)

NdSHlllSlOl II. N,b FeD. Su.-- Conflicting ideas of the place from which Columbus put off in his his toric voyage of discovery to the New World have been raised by press dispatches in regard 10 the Spain-Argentina flight of Spanish airmen. They announced that they would begin their transatlantic hop from the exact spot from which l Columbus flag ship put to sea. These dispatches have been dated i from both Huelva and Palos, Spain. The region from which Coumgus sailed is the subject of bulletin from the Washington, D. C., head quarters of the National Geographic Society.
 Port Dwindled to Insignificance l "Fate selected PIlos to be the starting point for one of the most momcntous and significant journeys ever taken by land or sea-" says the bulletin. But then, as though more than enough had been done for one place, she soon turned her back up- on it. The centuries that have pass ed since Columbus day have not been kind to Palcs. When the Santa Maria, the Pinta and the Nina put boldly out from Palos 1t was a req sonably important port, just far enough within the common, forked estuary of the Rio Tinto and the Rio Odio 10 be protected from the swell Of the Atlantic. But long ago the harbor became siltcd up, and now that which bears the famous name 'Palos' Is only a tiny, in significant fishing village.
 "Palos is situated on the Rio Tinto arm of the estuary about ten miles from the sea. At about the same distance up the Odel arm is Huclva, the rival which became the
 dominant port of the estuaries. As
 Palos went down. Huclva went up.
 A channel Is kept open to its quays.
 and because of the great quantities
 of copper and sulphur ores that are
 shipped from it. 1t Is surpassed In
 tonnage handled by only few Spanish ports In the neighborhood, on tho two rivers, are the largest
 mines in Spain.
 Rival Ran Away With Date Lines Since Huclva Is of the hustling present with its hotels and telegraph offices, while PaIos is of the past,
 those participating in the recent
 airplane flight gathered at HuelVa, 5 although the start was actually made off Palos Because of this sit. nation Huelva ran away with most of the date lines in the stories oi the beginning of the flight.
 There are other reminders oi . Columbus in this region than what
 is left of palos. Opposite the june,
 ton point of the Odiel and the
 Tinto is La Rabilda Monastery . partly in ruins. where Columbus re ceiyed the first encouragement fol s his 'wild' plans. The prior of th'
 monastery formerly the confessor tt q Queen Isabella, induced her to fin T nnce the voyage. On the river bank : near the monastery, stands coiossa n statue of Columbus. looking off to It ward the ocean which he conquer l. ed.
 j. In Historic Corner of Spain E, "Palos, even in the days of it d importance, was really not the mos
 logical place for beginning the oceal d tourney. Seville on the GuadalquiVe O river was the metropolis of south " lcrn Spain and the seat of the kings J. All voyages of consequence, includ
 ing that of Columbus, started froI
 the river quays of that great city ad
 lthc logical last port was San Lucal '- at the mouth of tho GuadalquiVel al about 40 miles east of Palos. Whe le the wealth of the New World wa l. realized, and shiploads of bullio ,- poured into Spain. Seville was gi' ID en the monopoly of trade wit "a America. and then San Lucar can ly into its own. Columbus put off froI San Iucar on his third voyag
 Magellan too, began the circumnav
 gation of the world at San Luc'
 in 1519 and almost exactly thr'
 years later the only remaining sh
 of the dead leader completed ,,, world -girdhng trip at the same poI ,' Today San Incar is tho importa' - port of entry for Seville.
 s 9 "The little region Of Spain en s hracing Palos, the mouth Of il ou Guadalquiver, and tho adjace
 country has played q major role v Spanish commerce and navigatio , Following Seville. Cadiz became Il 1l' receiving vault for the riches of t
 Indies. Jcrez-mangled into "She
 ry' by inc English-still is one el the most important wine centers
 Spain. and it's product has long fl v ured prominently In Spanish COT merce. Before the days of the s
 ceptance Of Greenwich as the work
 zero meridian, the meridian throu IT San Fernando observatory nc
 Cadiz was used hy Spanish marine
 in mapping the world of which th nm discovered SO much"
 In certain guifs and bays {