Tlie Demarcation Line. 203 



west coast of Africa. The other letter, of same date, which begins 

 ' eximie devotionis,' contains only the last-mentioned concession. 



" The third letter, dated May 4, on the other han,d gives the 

 first concession indicated above, but not the second, and is, 

 therefore, to some extent, a repetition of the first letter. But it 

 contains, in addition, a definition of the famous line of de- 

 marcation, determining more exactly the donation given by 

 the first letter, evidently on account of the grant made to Por- 

 tugal, although that is not mentioned. The line is fixed one 

 hundred leagues to the west and south of the westernmost 

 island of the Azores, ' To the south ' was added because the 

 region was particularly desired by both parties, and because 

 Portugal had already proposed the drawing of a line from east 

 to west in order to confine Spain to the northern side of such a 

 boundary. The condition of geographical science at the time 

 did not permit the intended boundary to be defined more accu- 

 rately. In proposing it to Alexander VI, Spain only knew that 

 it would fall far from San Salvador and hoped that, by keeping 

 its ships- at a distance of one hundred leagues from the most 

 western of the Portuguese possessions, alarm and jealousy on 

 the part of the last-named power might be prevented. But 

 Portugal, like Columbus and Spain, believed San Salvador to 

 be part of India, to which country, passing the cape of Good 

 Hope, in 1487, it had opened a new way, and to which it claimed 

 the exclusive right. It was, therefore, impossible for Spain to 

 maintain the demarcation line of Alexander VI, and in the con- 

 vention of Torderillas (7th June, 1494) it was moved one hun- 

 dred and seventy leagues farther west, a change which, without 

 the cognizance of either party, gave Brazil to Portugal. But 

 although the position of the demarcation line of Alexander VI 

 had been changed, it continued, nevertheless, to be the basis of 

 all subsequent transactions and conventions for dividing the 

 sovereignty of the new world, and thus preserved peace between 

 the two colonizing powers. 



" It is clear from the text of these letters that the popes, and 

 especially Alexander VI, founded such action, as was his in this 

 case, on their duty to provide for the christianization of the new 

 countries ; a duty which carried with it the right and authority 

 to use all power, and particularly all indispensable means for 

 its accomplishment. The conversion of these heathen popula- 

 tions seemed impossible, unless somehow they should be incor- 



