The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-11-24
TWO oLD-TIME HrsToRIc FLEETS.
How England Met the Armada Sent
Out by Spain.
W. u. Tilton in Atlantic Monthly.

w. F. Tilton in Atlantic Monthly.
The Armada left the mouth of the Ia
gus on May 30. The high built clumsy
galleons made no progress against the
northerly winds. After lacking out and
in for a whole fortnight they were still
in the latitude of Lisbon. Not till June
10 did they get fair wind. On the 18th
it was blowing a gale, and Medina-Sidonia
put for shelter, with part of his ships
into Coruna. The rest expected to enter
the harbor the next morning. but were
scattered and crippled during the stormy
night. The inexperienced admiral was
discouraged and wrote advising the king,
since the fleet was dispersed and many
of the men were ILL., the provisions bad
and scanty, crews and officers inefficient,
to seek an honorable peace with Eng
land. Here was a startling revelation
of his character. Hewas longing to aban-
don the expedition before he had seen
an enemy or so much as left the shores
of Spain. 1t was q piece of inexcusable
folly that Philip did not seize this OPP
portunity to retrieve his error, and APP
point in Medina-Sdonia's stead an effl-
cient veteran; Recalde, for instance, who
had served under Santa Cruz. and was
regarded since the latter's death, as the
first sea warrior In Spain.
The king, however, with characteristic
| tena0ity, refused to acknowledge his mis-
take, and bade the admiral collect and
repair the feet and start afresh. Soon
all was in order. After several days of
stormy weather IL began in the evening
of July p to clear The sun rose next
morning upon a scene impressive and
singularly beautiful The mightiest fleet
ever built in christendom was floating
majestically before light southwesterly
breeze down the harbor and past the fair
vineyards of COruna. The great sails
hung listlessly from the yards. Early
in the afternoon the wind had fallen to
q. calm 1t seemed as If the Armada
with foreboding that only shattered
remnant of these proud ships and high
spirited warriors would ever return, was
leaving Spain with sad reluctance
Soon the wind came up from the south
and the galleons could be laid upon their
course for England. The blue hills of Spain
gradually sank into the sea. On the 9th
the Armada encountered a fearful storm
The Spanish sailors declared they had
never known such a high sea at that time
of year. The next morning 40 sail were
missing. 1t was found that they had sim
ply been driven ahead On the 29th af-
ter the ships had been got together again,
on the lookout had deserted the gray
ridge of the Lizard. 1t was a solemn
moment. With mingled feelings of hope
and anxiety, the chivalry of Spain now
caught a first glimpse of the country
which they had set forth to conquer for
their king and their church. Amidst the
roar of cannon, Medina Sidonia ran a flag
up to his foretOp, embroidered with a
Christ on the cross, the Virgin and the
Magdalene. officers and men fell on their
knees for Thanksgiving and prayer. Soon
the Spaniards saw along the shore the
glare OF beacOnf1reS flashing from hill to
hill the news that the invaders Of Eng
land were upon her.
The English admiral, Lord Howard got
the startling tidings in Plymouth the day
that the Armada sighted the Lizard That
very night he worked his fleet out of har-
Dor in the teeth of southwester, and ran
out the next day as far the Eddystone
1t was dark and rainy. At last the Eng
lish sailors. peering with ill-concealed eS-
citement through the gloom, made our
the indistinct outlines of the great Ar
mazda.
Before the fighting begins H. is essential
to give some description of the fleets. The
Spaniards had 1872 vessels, with 1000 SAIL
ors and 1900 soldiers. OF these ships
hfty-nine were first-rates, averaging 72s
tons and carrying an average Of twenty
six guns. The other vessels had much
fewer guns, except the four gaileasses
which had fifty each The Spanish first
rates. though somewhat lightly built.
had two huge masts with very large sails.
besides two smaller masts at bow and
stern. The largest galleons drew from
twenty-five 20 thirty feet. The galleasses
were very large galleys, each propelled by
300 rowers.
The English fleet consisted In the Ar
mada year, or 1876 vessels and 1900 men