Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1884-09-30
TIE SPANISH ARMADA

The King Of Spain placed an embargo
upon oil English vessels, persons and
property in the ports Of Spain. Drake
went out TO sea with six armed slfiT>>
and captured San Domingo, CorthHgena
and st. Augustine. Philip ii. was now
preparing the greatest armament that
the combined navies Of Spain and Port
ugal, of Naples and Sicily, of Genoa and
Venice, could watt across the sens to
crush the arch hereto Of England Rome
blessed the undertaking. Prophecies
had been heard in divers languages that
the year 1888 should be "the most fatal
and ominous unto all estates )" and 1t
was now discovered that England was to
be the object of this great maritime en-
tcrpriso. Yet England did not quail.
The whole community became OF one
heart and mind.
Drake determined to deal blow at the
heart of tho Spanish project. He sailed
from London with four Queens ships
and tyenty-four furnished by the mer-
chants of London At the beginning of
April, 1887, Che English fleet entered the
harbor Of Cadiz and fell upon the Span
ish ships destined tor the invasion OF
England. Some u them were OF the
largest size then Known. One was of
1880 tons, another Of 1900. and several
others Of l 900 and 800 tons. Drake de-
stroyed 10000 tons of shipping, with
their contents. For two nights and o
day he continued his work-scuttling,
rifing unloading and burning the Span
> ish war ships. Before he left 100 ships
were burning and throwing a bright
blaze mon the walls and forts Of Cadiz
On his return 10 England, Drake capt
ured and destroyed 100 more vessels, up
propriating port of the cargoes and
taking tho crews prisoners. He also
captured large Spanish carrack lader
with cargo,gof extraordinary value
This he also took with him to England
He ronfessed that he had done but little
and gave the Government warning as Il
the enormous power and vast prepare
tons Of Spain.
"There would" he said, "be 40, OO
men under weigh ere long, vel
equipped and provisioned, and Englan'
could not be too energetic in its meas
lrcs of resistance.
Everything was done by Philip t
make his Armada invincible. He ha
spent nearly 80, 900 ducats on the fleet
The Pope lent him 1000 ducats. Be
,id6 what he had spent, he had 1000
700 of ducats in reserve. The Armad
consisted OF 1876 ships. They were b
i,r the lurgest TINT had up to that tim
,cen constructed. They contained 80
lO Spanish infantry and sailors, an
,,00O galley slaves for the purpose
owing the ships when the wind failet
Beside this large army, 10000 trool
we're in the Spanish Netherlands, read
- embark, ON given signal, in aid
lo troops Of tho Armada. Such WI
bs force which the English sailors hi
a. combat.
Before the Armada smiled, the Pop
Scy'us v. Illuminated his bull. He 4
nounoed Elizabeth "a on illegiAmate a
usurper, and solemnly conferred b
kingdom on Philip, with the title Of 4
fender of the Christian filth, "
have and to hold as tributary and fen
atory to Rome" =
Everything was now prepared for
subjugation of England, and the inv
chile Armada set soil. The first shi
were sighted off the Lizard on the 22d
July, 1888 They had long been look
for. The baeeon-free blazed forth FRI
\ the Lizard to Falmouth, Dodman Poi
Gribbin Head and Rame Head. WI
Athe news arrived at Plymouth that
\ Nemy were in sight, Drake was play
ny Nme Of bowls with his comrades; !
the evening closed sixty Of
Wish ships were warped out