Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1888-08-11
THE PRECAUTIONARY OF THE
n SPANISH ARMADA bas j

f. IA SPANISH ARMADA bBB i
l. II $500 years since the Spanish
Armada descended on the coast Of
England 1t was got in readiness
the year before, 1881, bnt the lannon's
navigator Drake, By u bold dash in.
to the Fharbori OF Cadiz, destroyed
nearly II hundred ships, with i'm.
mense stores fprovisions, and com.
PEELED delay for a year. Meanwhile
the Spanish commander on whose
competence every dependence could
have been put--the Marquis OF San
Ita Cruz-died, aud the thoroughly
incompetent Duke of Medina Sitlon.
ia was made commander.
The final setting forth of the great
fleet took place May 81, 15Ss-129
large vessels, with 2,431 cannon, 49,.
295 soldiers and S,460 sailors, be.
sides slaves employed as rowers'
The first ill-luck of this immense
feet was its experiences of a very
great and damaging storm soon af.
ter leaving Lisbon, from which it
sailed, Not until July % did it fin,
ally leave the coast of Spain, and it
was a week later before it reached
the entrance to English waters.
The next day, July 30, was the one
day Of glory which the Armada had,
when was seen standing up the
Channel. $50 ships in the form of a
crescent, seven miles long, a magnif-
ieent spectacle, which came to moth
ing. yal odp as8It zsYa bra r
In the attempt to fight, which be-
gan the next day. and lasted for a
week, the light and admirably ham
died English ships ont,sailed their
heavy antagonists, and got in rap
id and deadly fire, immensely more
effective than the slow and slovenly
working of the Spanish guns. The
|Spaniards stood off up the Channel
day by day. under the singing fire
of the English, and got to anchor in
the roads of Calais; bnt were driven
to sea again by the English expe.
dent of causing to DRIFT in upon
them eight fire ships, bulls filled
with blazing combustibles, to kindle
the feet of the Spaniards.
This was on August {, aud the
next day the English forced the
fighting against the scattered enc,
my, aud by swift maneuvering
and rapid firing inflicted so much
injury, as to compel the invaders,
with many slips disabled and nearly
1000 men killed to run away through
the North sea, i'll hope of reaching
Spain by passing north of Scotland
and down by the Irish coast and the
open Atlantic. N0ut t4ga I'll ..
y Not only did the English harass
their flight for some days, but vio-
lent storms pursued them along the
north of Scotland and down the wild
Irish coast. wrecking more than half
OF the 120 vessels which had escaped
the guns of Queen Elizabeth's bold
sailors. The Autumn days OF Sep
TENDER and October saw barely fifty
four shattered vessels creeping
homeward on the coast of Spain,
beating no more than 5000 or TO-.
900 men. in the most pitiable condi-
tion OF sickness and want. Full two
thirds of the mighty Armada Spain
had sent out,-ships, cannon and
men, had sunk in tie waters or per-
isheG miserably on hostile coasts.
And the Spanish tiag-a river of
gold between two rivers of blood -
the symbol of slavery wherever it
has conquered, and Of tyranny wher-
ever it is indigenous, did not sup
plant the Union Jack, nor the cross
of st. George. l3 ta