New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-03-09
Of the huge gaIeons sunk before the 6gbt was over


the afternoon, at least I6 of their best ships
had been sacrificed, and from four TO five thou
sand soldiers killed.
Nearly all the largest vessels of tho Armada
having thus been disabled or damaged, and all
their email shot exhausted, Medina Sdonia gave
orders to retreat. Crippled, and diminished in
number as were bis ships, he would still have
faced the enemy, but the winds and currents
were fast driving him on lee-sbore, where 1t
would be inevitable destruction to remain. How
ard, Drake, and FrObisher. with the rest OF the
feet followed the Armada through the North Sea
from Tuesday night aug y till Friday aug.
l2) and still, the strong Southwestern swept the
Spsniards before them, uncertain whether to seek
refuge, food, water, and room to repair damages,
in the realms of the treacherous King OF Scots
or on the iron bound coasts of Norway. Medina
Sdonia had however quite abandoned his intention
of returning to England, and was only ANXIOUS
for safe return TO Spain. On the other hand
the Devonshire commander, Vice Admiral Drake
could not restrain his hilarity as he saw tho In
vincble Armada Of the man whose beard he had
in full fight from the country which was that
week to have been made Spanish province.
Unproyided az were his ships, be was for risking
another battle. but Howard decided "to wrestle
no further pull" Having followed the spap'ards
til Friday Aug IL, it was determined in council
TO put into the firth Of Forth for water and pro-
visions, leaving two "pinnaces TO dog the feet
until it should be past the Isles of Scotland"
After suffering much from violent gales, the
English ships within four or five days were oil
safely anchored in Msrgste roads.
Far different was the fate of the Spanards.
Over their Invincibe Armada, last seen by the
departing English midway between the coasts of
Scotland and Denmark, the blacsness OF night
seemed suddenly to descend. mystery for a
long time hung over their fate. Damaged. leak
ing, without pilots, without competent com.
mander, the great feet entered most furious
storm, and was whirled aloug the iron crag' OF
Norway. and between the savage rocks of faroe
and the Hebrides. Their perilous track wss pur-
sued by constant Disaster gale after gale dashed
them on saud.banks, or shattered them against
granite clifs. The coasts of Norway, Scotland,
and Ireland were strewn with the wrecks OF
that pompous feet, which claimed the dominion
of the seas: and were whitened with the bones
Of those invincble legions which were to have
sacked the City Of London, and made the En-
glish nation a Spanish yice-royalty. Oh the four
galiasses and four galleys, only one of each re-
turned to Spain. OF the 81 great galleons aud
hulks, 50 were lost and SO returned. or the
tenders and zabrss, IL were lost, and IL re-
turned. OF I3i vessels which sailed from Cor
unns in July, but So, great and small, made
their escape to Spain, and these were so dam
aged "a to be utterly worthless. The hyincible
Armada had not only been yanquished but ami
hlated. OF the 60, 900 men who sailed in the
feet, probably not more than 10000 ever saw
their native land again. Most of the lcaders OF
the expedition lost their lives. There was hardly
a distinguished family in Spain not placed in
mourning, 20 that 70 relieTo the universal gloom,
an edict was published forbdding to wear mourn
ing at all.
Such was the result Of the invasion, which
had been so long preparing, aud at an almost
incaculable expense. In the year 1853 alone,
the cost of Philips srmaments for the subjuga-
ton of England could not have been less than
all millions of ducats, beside as large SUN on
board the Armada itself. Yet, with all this
sacrifice of treasure and of life, nothing had
been accomplished, and Spain, in o moment,
instead Of seeming terrible TO al the world, had
become ridiculous. Z" Beaten and shufied to-
gether from the Lizard TO Calais, from Calais
driven with squibs from theix anchors, and
chased out of sight of England about Scotland
and ireland" as Drake expressed himself, the
Spaniards indeed presented but sorry spectacle.
"Thi, invincible and dreadful navy" said the
same bluff mariner, with all It's great aud ter.
rible ostentation, did not in all their sailing
about England so much as sink or take one
ship, bark, pinnace, or cock.bOat Of ours, or
burn so much S one sheep-cote on this land"
We here take leave, for the present, of Mr..
Motley, who has done such brilliant justice to
one of the most remarkable episodes of Engli,h
history in the defeat of the Spanish Armada.
Nor has he failed to turn to the best account
the other salient and effective points with which
be comes in contact in the course of his nsrra-
tive. Restraining his tendency to too intense
coloring, though often skirting the borders OF
the melodramatc, he leaves the most vivid I'M
preston on the mind Of the reader of the actual
features Of the scenes which he describes. His
style, with all its merits, inclnes strongly to
difFuseness; it Is often harsh and rugged, some
times careless and involved, but, in his account
of great and stirring events relating to the high
est interests of nations and humanity, be never
ceases TO be animated, picturesque, snd glowing
with electric sympathy.