FUENTES, or FONTE, Bartolomé de, Spanish or Portuguese navigator, supposed to have lived in the 17th century. His real or imaginary voyages have been the subject of much controversy, and even his existence has been called in question. The story of the voyages of Fuentes, who is said to have been an admiral in the service of Spain, is contained in a letter of seven pages, which was first published in a work entitled “The Monthly Miscellany, or Memoirs of the Various” (London, 1708). It is not known how the letter fell into the hands of the editors of this work. According to the narrative, he sailed from the port of Lima, 3 April, 1640, took a northwesterly course, and, after reaching lat. 53° N., discovered an archipelago, which he called the archipelago of St. Lazarus. He entered a river in one of the islands of the archipelago, flowing from the east, and sailed eastward through other rivers and lakes of vast extent, until he fell in with the ship of Capt. Shapely, who was coming from Boston, and consequently from the east, all of which showed clearly that there was a communication between the two oceans north of America. The letter of Fuentes was republished by Sir Arthur Dobbs in his account of the countries that border on Hudson bay (London, 1744). Sir Arthur Dobbs says that, from information that he had gathered in America, there was a Capt. Shapely living in Boston at the date of the voyage of Admiral Fuentes. Another narrative of the same event was published in a “Voyage to Hudson's Bay” (London, 1749). The letter of Fuentes was translated into French by the distinguished geographer, Joseph Nicholas Delisle, who read two learned dissertations on the subject in presence of the Academy of sciences in 1750. He attaches considerable importance to the letter of Fuentes, and endeavors to reconcile his statements with what he had learned of the discoveries of the Russians. Spanish authors have generally kept silent on the voyage of Fuentes. The author of the “Noticia de California,” however (Madrid, 1757), formally denies that such a person existed. Dr. Forster, also, in his work on the discoveries in the north, considers Fuentes a mythical personage. On the other hand, Fleurieu, in his “Introduction au voyage de Marchand,” leans to the opinion that he was a real person, and this opinion acquires still more probability since the publication of the voyages of Maldonado, although in the “Quarterly Review” of February, 1817, strong objections are urged against the reality of either voyage. The fact of the existence at least of a navigator of the name of Fonte, or Fuentes, would seem to receive confirmation from the work of the Hollander, Witsen, on Tartary, entitled “Nord en cost Tartarye” (1705), quoted in Burney's “Chronological History of the Discoveries of South Sea.” Vancouver, although frequently opposing the statements of Fuentes, declares that he could not deny them positively.
FUENTES, Laureano, Cuban musician, b. in Santiago de Cuba in 1825. From his youth he gave himself to musical studies, and obtained a reputation for skill with the violin. He founded
in his native city a conservatory of music, and is the author of many musical compositions, including "La Sombra de Bellini," a fantasia (1857); "Galatea," a symphony (1858); an "Ave Maria," a "Stabat Mater," and " Maria " (Paris, 1872). He has composed also the music for the several zarzuelas (a kind of comic opera), including "El do de Pecho" and "Me lo ha dicho la Portera" (1858); and "Las dos Mascaras" (1866). His last musical work is the opera " La fille de Jef te" (1875).
FUENTES, Manuel Atanasio, Peruvian author, b. in Liiria in 1820. He studied law at the University of San Marcos in his native city, and was graduated in 1841, but he soon left the practice of law to become a journalist. He contributed to the "Heraldo" of Lima, and afterward successively established "El Monitor de la Moda," "La Cronica," and "Semanario de los Ninos." His most successful paper was "El Murcielago," which he founded in 1855, and called by a name under which he had been writing. This paper, by its trenchant wit and its fearlessness, soon became known throughout Peru. As Fuentes never temporized, the journal was often suppressed and its editor exiled. Of his numerous works on law, statistics, and literature, the most noteworthy are "Estadfstica de Lima"; "Elementos de Higiene Privada"; "Higiene de la Infanca"; "Medicina Legal " ; "Tratado de Higiene Publica y Aplicada"; "Manual de Autopsias y Exhumaciones"; "Formulario de Jueces de Paz"; "Derecho Constitucional Universal"; "Reglas parlamentarias "; "Guia del Viajero en Lima"; and "Aletazos del Murcielago."
FUERO, Francisco Fabian (foo-ay'-ro), Spanish
R. C. bishop, b. in Terzaga, Aragon, 7 Aug.,
1719; d. in Torre Hermosa, 3 Aug., 1801. He
studied in Calatayud and Alcala, and was at
different times rector of the colleges of San Antonio
de Siguenza and Santa Cruz, in Valladolid. He
was appointed bishop of Puebla, Mexico, in 1764,
was present at the fourth Mexican council in 1771,
and resigned his bishopric in 1773. On his return
to Spain he was promoted archbishop of Valencia,
and retired in 1795 to the place of his birth.
At Puebla he introduced many improvements;
founded in the seminary of that city several chairs
of learning, organized an academy of literature,
and founded a fine library, which he enriched with
select works and a printing-press. He reorganized
the discipline of the convents, and established a
college to educate Indian youths. Fuero left many
interesting manuscripts, and published a volume
on scientific subjects (1772).
FUERO, Joaquin, Mexican soldier, b. in Guadalupe
Hidalgo, 21 Aug., 1814; d. in the city of
Mexico, 21 April, 1861. His father was a
lieutenant-colonel in the Spanish army. The son was
sent to the city of Mexico for his primary education,
but the family had to leave the country
toward the close of 1821, as his father refused to
serve the cause of Mexican independence. Young
Fuero entered the military college of Segovia, and
on leaving it entered the army as ensign. He was
promoted to captain for gallantry in 1836, and in
1838 accompanied his father to the island of Cuba,
where the latter soon died. Fuero then returned
to Mexico, where he entered the army, with the
rank of captain, in 1839, was appointed professor
in the military college in 1840, and soon established
a regular course of practical line-drill, military
tactics, and topographical design. When Gen.
Urréa pronounced against the government, on 15
July, 1840, Fuero attacked him in the citadel at
the head of a column of his scholars, and drove
him back. He was then given command of
several companies of regular troops, with which he
aided in suppressing the insurrection, after a
fortnight of street-fighting. In 1841 Fuero was
promoted major and resigned the vice-presidency of
the military college. In 1843 he was appointed
chief of staff of the army of operations in Tamaulipas,
and as such designed all the plans of the
campaign. During the war with the United States
Fuero took part in all the battles, till the defeat
at Padierna, after which he protected the retreat
