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Dighton
Rock on World Television
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Dighton
Rock on World Television
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Finally the world famous Dighton Rock is going to appear on the World Television! It will be part of a documentary of the television series produced by the Paladin Invision Television from London, England.
This series involves filming in fifteen different countries including United States, India, China, Indonesia, United Kingdom, Caribbean, Bimini, Guadalupe, Oman, Malaysia, Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand, Venice, Italy and even Portugal.
This series was inspired on the book “1421- The Year China Discovered America” by Gavin Menzies, a retired captain of a British submarine. The author together with his publishing companies (Transworld in Great Britain and Harper Collins in U. S. A.) created such a gigantic publicity enterprise that this book has had a tremendous success in sales in England, through out Europe and also the United States. The author plans to launch his paper back editions in England this October and on January 2004 in U. S. A.
From the profits of the sales of the same book, two television companies from England got together and decided to produce a series of documentaries to confirm or to refute the hypothesis that the Chinese discovered America before Columbus was even born!
The Paladin Invision is a co-venture between two of Britain’s most internationally respected documentary film-makers: William Cran of Invision Productions and Clive Syddall of Paladin Pictures. Specialists in transatlantic co-productions, they have produced more than 500 hours of programming, spanning history, the arts, religion and currents affairs. Their programs have been made and sold around the world and they have won several international prizes.
If we consult Menzies’ website www.1421.tv we will be informed that in the past year he has received more than eighteen thousand e-mails and letters praising and criticizing his hypothesis.
He has stated recently that "he wrote his book to stimulated more discussion concerning the truth about the discovery of America". He certainly has already accomplished that! I for one, I am most grateful to him because the television series originated by his success has given me a unique opportunity to present to the world the Portuguese discoveries achievements.
For more than fifty years I have been interested in any news or publications concerning the world discoveries. It has been my hobby, my “mistress”. So when I heard that Captain Gavin Menzies made a presentation at the Royal Geographic Society, in London, England, on Spring 2002, defending the hypothesis that the Chinese discovered America before 1421, I made it my business to obtain a copy of the video of his speech. To me Mr. Menzies did not make any positive points sustaining his presentation. I decided then that it was necessary for me to refute his fancy allegations. So I did. I wrote an article and published it on my website entitled: “The Discovery of America by the Chinese in 1421 is a big lie!”
Reviewing his book -- “1421 – Year that China discovered America!”, I see THREE BIG MISTAKES:
(1) Mr. Menzies uses the Nautical Chart of 1424 as the basis for his Chinese hypothesis, but admits that this map is Portuguese. He FALSIFIES the map to fit his preconceived theory that the Chinese discovered America! He states: “After several months of examining charts and documents in map rooms and respective archives, I became convinced that Antilia and Satanazes were actually the Caribbean islands of Puerto Rico and Guadeloupe”. By this statement, Mr. Menzies commits historical suicide. See my article on the Internet “The discovery of America by Chinese in 1424 is a big lie!” or on this website /
(2) He states that the Newport Tower, in Rhode Island, was built by the Chinese sailors, when, even today, DOES NOT EXIST EVEN ONE ROUND church or castle in all of China!
(3) He further affirms that the Chinese sailors made the original inscriptions on the face of Dighton Rock, without EVER seeing the rock himself in LOCO (local) ! There are NO Chinese hieroglyphs engraved on Dighton Rock!
The producers of Paladin Invision started searching in the Internet for articles praising and refuting Menzies’ book and they bumped into my article: “The discovery of America in 1421 is a big Lie!”. They called me by phone and sent me an e-mail for an interview.
The first interview took place in Portugal, inside the library with my name, in Cavião, Vale de Cambra, in the North of Portugal. It was on May 18th , 2003, that the Director David Wallace went from London, England, to interview me about my original discovery of the lines of latitudes on the Nautical Chart of 1424 and also to explain the Menzies’ historical mistakes and my refutation. Here is the photo taken by my wife during that interview.
Fig. No.1: Dr. Luciano da Silva being filmed by Director David Wallace, Director of the Paladin Invision Television.
The second interview took place on August 15, 2003, inside of the pavilion of the Dighton Rock Museum, in Berkley, Massachusetts, 40 miles south of Boston, U. S. A. The entire team of Paladin Invision came: (1) Cameraman, Peter Harvey; (2) Soundman, Neil Laycock (3) Director, David Wallace and (4) Producer, Lucy van Beek.
They filmed the Portuguese inscriptions engraved on the face of Dighton Rock while I used tangential lighting together with the Portuguese icons of the Portuguese national symbols. I demonstrated for them that there are engraved on the rock the following: (1) the date 1511; (2) the name Miguel Corte Real; (3) the Portuguese National Coat of Arms and (4) the Cross of the Order of Christ.
The third interview took place outside of the Museum, on the same day, sitting at a picnic table, and with the help of color photographs, I showed them the comparison of the Newport Tower with the Charola, or main altar of the Convent of Tomar, in central of Portugal, which was the headquarters of the Cross of the Order of Christ to which ALL the Portuguese navigators had to belong.
I also answer questions about the history of the Corte Reais navigators, the scientific knowledge of the navigation that the Portuguese had in the XV century, including their discoveries of the water currents and the winds of the oceans and the importance of the caravel with its lateen sails (triangular) that could navigate against the wind in the high seas.
I was very pleased with all 3 interviews, and I sincerely hope they will use all of them.
Fig. No. 2 – Dr. Luciano da Silva being interviewed by Director David Wallace while Producer Lucy van Beek attentively looks on.
Fig . No. 3 – Mr. Menzies reading the information pamphlet outside of the Dighton Rock Museum on his first visit. Even though Mr. Menzies wrote in his book about Dighton Rock inscriptions, he had NEVER SEEN the rock in loco (local) !
He came to the Museum, on Saturday, August 16, 2003, to be interviewed, in front of the rock, by the Paladin Invision team, about his hypothesis that the Chinese sailors made the inscriptions on Dighton Rock.
I did not see Mr. Menzies interview because the producer ask us not to attend his presentation, and we respected her request. So I have to wait when the series comes out to see what Menzies said about his fancy theory.
Mr. Menzies had occasion to examine the contents of the Museum and praised its exhibit. Here is his signature and his comment registered on the visitor’s book .
Fig. No. 4 – Menzies’ signature and his appraisal of the Museum.
"16 Aug 03 Gavin Menzies www.1421.tv Very Well Presented !"
When the interview was finished, I greeted Menzies, outside of the Museum. We shook hands and he said to me: “This is a fantastic panorama. It is the first time I came here. I am enchanted. This breeze is always like this during the summer?” And I said: “Yes, sir”. And he added: “I would like to sail my boat up this river!”
This was the extent of our conversation. In the meanwhile the members of the Paladin Invision team started collecting all their apparatus and place them then inside of the two rented vans to continue their voyage to Boston, 40 miles to the north, so the following day, at 6:30 AM, they all could fly to Guadeloupe, in the Caribbean, to continue filming for their series.
My very good friend and the master of my website, Stanley Ulbrych, went with me the two days of the interviews and he wanted to get a photo of the entire television group in front of the Dighton Rock Museum. So he called all the four members of the television and he also called for Mr. Menzies and for me to be part of the photo. This way he got this historical photo for posterity!
After this photo was taken, we all shook hands, we wished them a very good voyage and good luck on the success of the series.
Fig. No. 5 - Historical Photo taken on August 16, 2003.
From left to right: Neil Laycock (Sound), from Australia; Peter Harvey, (Cameraman) from England);
Captain Gavin Menzies (author) from England; David Wallace (Director) from Scotland);
Lucy van Beek (Producer) from England Dr. Luciano da Silva, from Bristol, RI , USA.
The Producer Lucy van Beek told us that the entire series would be release to the world next Spring. It will be shown all over the world especially in the English-speaking world.
I am pleased, and grateful to participate in this series of programs. It is the first time a television production is done in such high caliber of profession. Unfortunally up to now no American, Portuguese or Brazilian television has had the guts to do a documentary about the historical significance of the Dighton Rock!
I was very impressed by the high standards of professionalism of the entire team of Paladin Invision. Obviously they want to register the TRUTH and inform correctly the viewers. Then, it will be up to the WORLD AUDIENCE to decide who is right. I very much like this decision!
I want to express here publicly my sincere thanks to the Dighton Rock State Park team for their cooperation and readiness for the arrival of the team from Paladin Invision.
Since 1977, the 8 x 8 feet Plexiglas, in front of the Dighton Rock was NEVER removed. John Roberts, the Manager of the Dighton Rock Museum, became determined to remove it, so that the cameraman could work more freely in front of the rock itself. It was not an easy operation, but he did it. And then he put it back like new!
My thanks also go to Tim Mello, Steven Bates, and Jamie Pacheco for their cooperation. The team from England was pleased the way they were received, because the Dighton Rock team corresponded to their needs. Job well done. My sincere thanks.
Fig No. 6 – John Roberts, general manager of the Dighton Rock State Park, starting the removal of the large Plexiglas in front of the face of the Dighton Rock.
