The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-06-09
FLIGHT OF THE ARMADA.
Tho Experiences OF Philips Fleet In
the storms of the German Ocean.

Tho Experiences OF Philips Fleet In
the storms of the German Ocean.
In the June Century there is an ilIug-
trstsd article on The Spanish Armada, !"
by William Frederic TiIton, with an In
PRODUCTION by Capt. Alfred Il. Mahan.
After dsscri bing the defeat Of the Arma.
de-, Mr.. Tilton says:
cressfallen. over the German ocean, under
all the canvas that their torn rigging and
splinterod spars would bear. Fer Sido-
MAS men were thinking only Of getting
home to the warm sun and sparkling wa
ter of their cara Espana-dear old spain.
Soldiers and sailors lounged In sulien,
silent aroups about the decks. The fiaR-
ship would not respond to the salutes OF
her consorts. The wind blew noftherly at
times but the duke forgot bis promise
60 sail back into the Channel. He thOught
only OF hiRht, and offered hts French pilot
300 duoats II he would bring him safe
to spain. Soon the autumn storms burst
and the Spaniards had to house every
thing but rag of sail to steer by. Thiok,
black fogs often settled down upon them.
90 that they could not lee each one an-
others lights at night One day, how
ever, they had the melancholy satisfaction
Of cspturing . few English pinnaces re-
turning from their fishing ground laden
with ooo and ling. This-one almost re-
grsts 20 say twas the greatest achieve
ment Of the fleet that was to give Philip
the sovereignty over western Europe. The
men had bsen supplied with cloth es only
for short summer campaign, and these
Nurth Sea gales froze them TO the bone.
I'VE all expected to come home rich from
this expsdition," wrote q gentleman on
board the flaaship rs shs was fioundsring
past Scotland; 'but now We are coming
home In our shirts. tor our clothes got 90
ragged that We had to throw them over
board" To Increase the wretchedness, 1t
became necessary to reduce the rations to
starving point The artillery mules and
noblemsn's horsss, which q wise COM
mandsr would have kept for food, were
cast overheard to save watsr. IL was
heart-rending to see the wild white eyes
OF the poor brutes az, plonginR and snort
Ing, they tried to swim back to the ships
side.
It seemed imperative to punish some
body for all this disgrace and misery. A
number OF officers we're accused OF disope-
diencs or oowardice. Some of these the
duke deprived Of their commando and
one captain was hanged In . piunaoe.
which was sent through the fleet with It's
gruesome freight dangling from the yard
arm ~ warning to the rsst.
Yhs weather got ever wilder. The
Vsumsy boiP nSsvvu ohu roAAous ouu
plunged their yards into the waves.
Hulls got so badly strained that they had
20 I've stiffsned with ropes. strong men
Hooked to the chsplains, begging for their
prayers. Many a poor fellow, losing hope
OF seeing land again, made his will and
intrusted 10 TO the ships priest. Men sick-
ened and died by hundreds sons Of
Spain's nohlest houses with the rest.
Many ships got 90 snort handed that they
DR. opped behind the main body, and had
TO struggle northward In isolated groups.
Now and then q rotten laciug would
give way, and the sailors, weakened by
hunger and sickuess, had TO 60 sloft In
the gale to house the tugRing and belly
ing sail. luckS IL shrouds and spars were
not slippery and dan gerous with the driv-
ing slset. Though midsummer. 10 was az
cold as Christmas. Everybody except the
pilots stayed below ss much as possible
TO keep warm. They were all psrishing
with hunger and thirst and tho little
food they got was moldy. They might
have tried catching rain water In casks
but the spray would have turned it salt.
Caldsron, one OF the paymssters, had q
store Of delicscies aboard his hulk, and
distributed them, as we'll 90 the heavy sea
allowed, among the siok an q wounded or
the fleet. The negroes and mulattos it
was observed, nearly sll psrished with
the cold. The mon were now kept contin-
uously at the pumps Woe TO the ship
when pumps got closaed with ballast
pebbles IL WAS hard and dangerous
work shifting the crew OF siL king vessels
in the tenn mpestuous weather.