The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-12-17

voyage Of John Hawkins, which began in lOoZ,
TO the so-ealled Great Armada, OF Francis
Drake. which returned In 1888 To the selec-
tions from Hakluyt are prenxed short but ade-
ouste biographies OF Hawkins. Frobisher. and
Drake and there lie also an account OF the
author OF Principal NaviRations" The most
valuable feature Of the book. however is Mr.
Payne's Introduction. to which nearly nifty
pages are devoted, and In which the relation
OF the French and English TO the exploration
OF the Now World 10 satisfactorily explained
How did IL happen that Engllshmen were
outstrinped not only by the Spaniards and
Portuguese hut also by Frenchmen. in turning
TO account the discovery OF the western hemi-
sphere7 John Cabot, Venetian in English
ray. had reached the New World shortly after
its discovery By Columbus. and subsequently
English adventurers had from time to time
crossed the Atlantic to explore the American
coast; but. as the excitement Of novelty sub
sided, voyages from England to America had
become fewer and fewer. There were several
reasons for this tho most obvious one being
that, until Elizabeth was well settled on her
throne there was no opening for conquest or
plumber, for previously the Tudors had
been at peacs with the Spanish SOW
ereiens. and the Papal title OF Spain
and Portugal to the whole OF the new
continent was not disputed by England as
long as 1t remained Catholic Consequently.
English commerce sought for profitable fields
elsewhere. For instance English seamen free
auented the Mediterranean in increasing
numbers and from the Mediterranean they
gradually extended their VOYAGES to the Vest
ern coast OF Africa. Thus tho African trade.
which had been the school OF Columbus. be-
came the school OF Hawkins Frobisher and
Drake. From the western coast OF Africa the
course IL easy TO Brazil. Mr.. Payne has point
cd out elsewhere that the discovery OF Brazil
was inevitable, under the impact OF west
ward winds and currents. the moment
Portuguese navigators began to round
the Cape OF Good Hope. william Haw-
kins Of Plymouth. father Of the more
famous seaman. John Hawkins. whose voy-
ages are here recounted had three times made
the Brazilian voyage by crossing the Atlantic
from the African coast The natives OF the
West Indian islands. reduced to slavery by the
Spaniards. were being rapidly extermtnated
before the middle Of the sixteenth century
and negroes were being imported In their
place. As the plantations in America grew and
multiplied tho demand for negroes increased.
The Spaniards had no African settlements
south OF Bsrbsry. and the Portuguese had
hitherto furnished negro slaves. both for
Brazilian plantations grew so fast about
the middle OF the century that they alb
sorbed the entire supply. and tho Spanish
colonists knew not whers to look for negroes.
This dearth Of slaves in the Spanish indies be-
came known first to the French and then to the
English who frequented the African coast and
so It came to pass that John Hawkins. who had
been engaged from boyhood In the trade with
Spain and tho Canarles. resolved. in 1862, to
take a cargo OF negro slaves to Hispaniola.
The little squadron with which he executed this
project was the first English squadron which
navigated the West Indian sea. In 1859 Haw-
kins had married the daughter OF Gunson.
treasurer OF the royal navy. 1t was doubt
less owing to the connection with Gunson that
he was enabled to raise money for his first
venture and to make his second voyage to the
West Indies in one Of the Queens ships. the
Jesus OF Lubbock.
During the seventy years following the dis
covery by Colum bus, England was almost con-
tinuously at peace with Spain. and. at one
time, closely bound to 1t by the marriage OF
Philip with Mary. France. on the other hand.
was at war with Spain during large sections Of
this period. and It was to be expected. there
fore. that France would prccede England in
refusing to pay any heed to the Pope's parti-
tion OF the globe between Spain and Portugal
Yet for more than quarter OF a century after
the unwilling OF the Now World. even the
French reirained from pronting by the oppor-
tunities thus opened. This was because ad-
ventures in the western hemisphere were not.
for some time. deemed worth while. America
was known. indeed. to produce the precious
metals. but 1t was not until tho discovery
Of Mexico and Peru that IL was supposed to
be particularly rich in them. This Is proved by
the important document relating to early
n - H.
terluds OF the Four Elements 7" written shortly
before the discovery OF Mexico. In the speech
OF Experience to Studious Desire regret is
expressed that Englishmen had not occupied
America. converted Its natives to Christianity
and availed itself OF it's Commodities" This
speech, however has remarkable omission.
The commodities enumerated include only
fish, copper. and timber; there is no mention
whatever OF tho precious metals