CORRESPONDENCE.

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 12503, 26 May 1906, Page 11

CORRESPONDENCE.

COLUMBUS. TO TJTB EDITOn OF "THE TIIESS." Sir, —Allow mc to qucrrtio.n the accuracy of some of the statements in your artielo on Columbus ('"The Press," 3Lay 19th). "Cclumbus luul everything in his favour.'' li' the opposition of tho Church, powerful and unscrupulous enemies in the Court of Ferdinand and Isabella, crazy ship-, mutinous crews, lukoivarm, inc"inixtt'nt, often treacherous officers, fick-nt'ss, famine, nnd shipwreck w.ro "thing! in h-s favour," he certainly h:id enough of them , and to spare. '"For his trouble with his G-overnmont ho was 'liimsrif largely to blame." Not s'.>. In hia first f.eli'iists of elation at tho ei*e.ming'y inexhitustible wealth likely to be placed at liit; disprwal by the discovery of the New World Ferdinand bestowed upon Oduinlnns certain privilrgvs and d'ignitics. Some time afterwards, when Columbus was away on another vcynge, Ferdinand, led away by his (Cdnmbus's) calumniatom, without any just cause, curtailed theee priv ; - When O>lumbuß was pon.t to Spain in chwijia by Bib.i-rliila,, Ferdinand, in a moment of .generous emotion, miisrd to restore them in full. This prom.39 he broke—Vnce Coliimhus'e trouble.* with liis Government. Ho fought hard to get them restored. '"It wre open to him to do as Magellan did, vis., threw up the service, and ,'trike out for himself," etc. Wh?n Magellan [eft, or was expelled from, tho Porbugure? service, .he carried his plans to tho Court of Spnin. Hero he was fortunat ■ enough to make a friend cf then; ght no:! C-»rclv*.nl Mendozn. who brought them under tlie notice cf the Emperor Charles V. He appr<rverl of thorn, and giv? Magellan the commanu of a squadron of fivr Sailing in September, 1519, diseevered and passed through the Straits bearing hi< r.ame in Oetotor and November, 1520, and wa* killed in one of the Philippines in April, 1521. Consequently, no far from "striking out for himself." ho di-ed in th? employ men.; cf the Emperor Charles V.—Yours, etc., MATTHEW MORRIS. Ambcrley, May 21.= t, 1906. [Wo havo referred to this letter in another column Ed. "Press."]