Their ships were massive – 122 metres long by 27 metres wide – not that much smaller than a modern aircraft carrier and absolute giants compared with those used by Columbus about 70 years later (see illustration). Menzies believes that the two vice-admirals, both eunuchs (as was the custom for captains), arrived in Australia in 1422 – Hong on the west coast, Zhou on the east – and spent several months exploring, landing in several places. In Australia’s case, Menzies claims Zheng’s vice-admirals, Hong Bao and Zhou Man, beat Cook to exploring the east coast of Australia by almost 350 years. Released a few years ago, Menzies’ book, 1421, the Year China Discovered The World, is seen as the book that’s has the potential to re-write history. If true, his theories would recast the holy trinity of European naval explorers – Captain Cook, Christopher Columbus and Ferdinand Magellan – as followers in the great wake of 15th century China’s Admiral Zheng He and his fleet of colossal, nine-masted teak junks.
Gavin Menzies, a self-confessed “outsider”, has sparked heated academic debate by claiming the Chinese beat Europeans to the New World by decades, if not centuries. Most are ignored, but one posed by a retired British submarine commander may rewrite the accepted history of Australia, America and half the world.
History is littered with what-ifs and wild theories.
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