of the other group), and
granted to Spain a monopoly of commerce in the waters "west and
south" (again an obscure phrase) of this line, so that no other
nation could trade without license from the power in control. This
was the extraordinary Papal decree dividing the waters of the world.
Small wander that the French king, Francis I, remarked that he
refused to recognize the title of the claimants till they could
produce the will of Father Adam, making them universal heirs; or
that Elizabeth, when a century later England became interested
in world trade, disputed a division contrary not only to common
sense and treaties but to "the law of nations." The Papal decree,
intended merely to settle the differences of the two Catholic states,
gave rise to endless disputes and preposterous claims.

The treaty of Tordesillas (1494) between Spain and Portugal fixed
the line of demarcation more definitely, 370 miles west of the
Cape Verde Islands, giving Portugal the Brazilian coast, and by
an additional clause it made illegitimate trade a crime punishable
by death. Another agreement in 1529 extended the line around to
the Eastern Hemisphere, 17 degrees east of the Moluccas, which, if
Spain had abided by it, would have excluded her from the Philippines.
After Portugal fell under Spanish rule in 1580, Spain could claim
dominion over all the southern seas.

[Illustration: CHART OF A.D. 1589

Showing Papal line of Demarcation]

The enthusiasm and confident expectation with which Spain set out
to exploit the discoveries of Columbus's first voyage changed to
disappointment when subsequent explorations revealed lands of
continental dimensions to be sure, but populated by ignorant savages,
with no thoroughfare to the ancient civilization and wealth of
the East, and no promise of a solid, lucrative commerce such as
Portugal had gained. Mines were opened in the West Indies, but it
was not until the conquest of Mexico by Cortez (1519-1521) laid open
the accumulated wealth of seven centuries that Spain had definite
assurance of the treasure which was to pour out of America in a
steadily increasing stream. The first two vessels laden with Mexican
treasure returned in 1523. Ten years later the exploration and
conquest of Peru by Pizarro trebled the influx of silver and gold.
The silver mines of Europe were abandoned. The Emperor Charles, as
Francis I said, could fight his European campaigns on the wealth
of the Indies alone.

But betwee