302 ROYAL SOCIETY OK CANADA 



sphere of influence. The Portuguese envoys shifted their ground at 

 liackjoz and dainu'd the most eastern islands of the Cape Verde group 

 as the proper point of departure ; hoping thus to gain the Spice Ishmds 

 in tlie East. They took their stand upon the stipuhition that the ex- 

 pedition, contemplated in the treaty of Tordesillas, was to assemble at 

 the Canaries, and from thence, proceed to the Cape Verde Islands to 

 commence the westward measurement. The islands, they argued, be- 

 ing mentioned in the plural, were to be taken as a group, and Sal and 

 Bonavista (written Boavista) the most eastern islands were the most im- 

 portiint. We have, in British America, an interest in two islands of 

 this group for two localities on the east coast of Newfoundland — Fogo 

 and Bonavista — were from the earliest days named after them. But 

 without stopping to discuss that fact we find the Portuguese envoys, 

 in 1524, insisting on Bonavista being the proper point of western de- 

 parture. The Portuguese contention was by no means well founded, 

 because these two eastern islands are the smallest of the group and do 

 not contain four per cent of the population. The Spanish envoys con- 

 tended for San Antonio — the most western point — (and, although their 

 main motive was to bring the Spice Islands within their line, they had 

 the better argument, for San Antonio is the second in size and in popu- 

 lation. The Portuguese protracted the negotiations and, as they 

 thought to gain more by delay, they made difficulties until the con- 

 ference separated without arriving at a decision. As a matter of fact, 

 ascertained many years later when accurate estimation of longitude 

 could be made, the Spice Islands and Philippines did fall within the 

 Spanish demarèation. One hundred years later a dispute arose about 

 territory on the Kio de la Plata, and the two nations again exchanged 

 bases ; for Portugal argued for San Antonio and Spain for Bonavista. 

 It may therefore be safely concluded that Pope Alexander VI. and the 

 Iloraan Curia were better geographers and international lawyers than 

 the political envoys, either at Tordesillas or Badajoz. 



VIII. — Ancient and Medi.=eval Measures of Length.^' 



At first sight nothing could appear more easy than to determine 

 the line of demarcation fixed by the treaty of Tordesillas. A locality 

 from whence to start, a definite direction in which to sail, and a definite 

 distance to l)e attained, were all specified, apparently, plainly enough ; 

 nevertheless it has been the subject of intenninable disputes and re- 

 cently in the Venezuelan dispute when the question was supposed to 

 have become academic, it once more came to the surface of practical 

 political debate. 



