孟席斯的郑和环球航行新论初评

英国航海史学家孟席斯 (GavinMenzies)历时 14年收集资料和研究后 ,于 2 0 0 2年 3月提出郑和船队早在哥伦布前 72年就航行到美洲 ;早在达·伽马前 77年就绕过好望角 ;早在麦哲伦前一个世纪就完成了环球航行 ;早在库克前 3 5 0年就到达澳洲。据宋正海掌握的资料 ,郑和船队有可能已绕过好望角到达非洲西海岸并北上到达佛得角群岛 ,郑和船队不可能进行环球航行 ,但也不能排除郑和船队中一些离队船只到达过美洲。总之 ,孟席斯关于中世纪人类航海研究的新论 ,将有力地推动航海史研究进入一个新的高潮

Preliminary Comments on Menzies''''s New Theory on ZHENG He''''s Global Voyage

Gavin Menzies, British seafaring historian, spent 14 years collecting data and doing research, and put forward the theory in March 2002 that ZHENG He*ss fleet had reached the Americas 72 years earlier than Columbus; had turned around the Cape of Good Hope 77 years earlier than Vasco da Gama; had completed the exploration around the globe a century earlier than Ferdinand Magellan; and had reached Australia 350 years earlier than Captain Cook. According to the data in the hand of SONG Zheng-hai, ZHENG He*ss fleet may have turned over Cape of Good Hope before reaching the west coast of Africa and steering north to Cape Verde Islands. It was impossible that ZHENG He*ss fleet took a round-the-globe voyage, although chances may not be eliminated that some of the fall out ships reached the Americas. Anyhow, Menzies*ss new theory on man*ss seafaring in the middle ages will effectively promote the research on seafaring history to a new height.