The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-06-04
THE SPANISH ARMADA.


Battered and Beaten by tho Little
English Fieer.
"The Spanish Armada" Is the subject
! OF al article In the June Century, written
! by William Frederick Tiiton with an in
PRODUCTION by Capt. Alfred T.. Mahan.
hIr. Tilton says of the defeat Of the In
! vincitle Armada"
In Spain the progress and fortunes 4
| the Armada had naturally besn the one
all absorbing theme of Boosting or oon-
| lecture, In palace and monastery. In street
and shop. From every altar OF the land
| tcrvsut prayers for It's SUCCESS we're ris
ing. Yhe king himsSlf PASSED hours of
| every day upon his knees before the sac
| rament, and those In waiting on him de-
clnrsd that he often rose In the night,
| signing to heaven for victory.
And now cams Mtndozia's good news
Yet the King, feverish as was his longing
for success. was tco old player to rut
absolute trust In his ambassadors con-
fused report; for the sanguine. magnilo-
qusnt Mendo zia had reputation for de-
ceiving himself" 60 Philip, in an agony
OF conflicting doubt and hope, shut him
self mp In the Escorial, and would give
no one audience until he should receive
moro certain tidings.
Willis Mendozia's ridiculous rumors
were circulating through the courts of
the Continsnt, the Armada was in reality
flying, crippled and miserable, iIto the
foGs and gales lf the German Ocean. For
Philips fleet, II not actually oonou red,
had been terribly shattsfed by the lnces-
SAINT, deadly fire OF the EDgish aunners
IN the great fight of Grayehnes. When
the spanish ADMIRAL. tre Duke Of Medina
Sidonia, counted over his ships after the
battle, several were missing, among them
those OF tho two berces of the day on the
Spanish side, the dashinR irresisii BILE sol
uier sailors Toledo and PimenteL who.
having fought till, In the words of
Spanish officer present, their crack eol-
Icons were knocked In pieces and the
crews nearly all dead or wounded"
driftsd In the black night, helpless, or
rather unhelped, away from their con :
sorts toward the Low Country coast.
Yet the Armada had not been utterly
routed, ard Elizareth's captains knew
this full well. In tie e' ening. Just after
the fighting had ceased, Howard wrote
home that ne had DISTRESSED them mucn, J"
and, though he doubted not "by Gods
good assistance, TO oppress them. yet ne
would not write unto her majesty till
more had been done" And even jubilant
Drake, WHO, with tie insieht OF the great
sea-csptain, had at once appreciated al
most 10 its full extent the success
achieved at Gravelires,' still expected TO
"wres 10 q pull' with ths Spaniaros, and
was kespina sharp eye upon them night
and day. fa
In spits OF their exhaustion. tho span
isrds rad scarce closed their eyes during
the night after Gravelines. fearing every
moment to hear their ships strike on the
trcecberous banks which skirt the Low
Country coast. Boon aftsr Gay broke
their fenrs were all hut enlized. The wind
had gradually edged To tie northward,
and was now b.owing hard nom tie
north west This must have been fair
enough wind for CaIais; hut sidonin had
no stomach or another tight and. owing
TO their crippled state. It's shirs, bad
sailors &C bsst. we're Eow sailing of TO Iev-
ward toward the low Hns OF sh oals. with
terror the spaniards taw IN front OF than
the great WAVES broakina into gray foam
on the smooth snnas. ond elise behiau
them the Iursuine English fleet. Sidonia
wss tagging behind. VITA his stout-heart-
ed lisutenants, keeniue and Lsyss. The
pilots declared that the lltet was doomed
unless the " ind shifted. ana that ~ eedily.
Chicken -besited ofi.cers legged sidonis To
strike hts colnis, anu at least save ships
sDd livvs; but the admiral cenfesssd him.
self, ana resolved 90 die, n die no must
like a true knight OF the cross. 1he Eng.
lish, however, did not attack, BELIEVING, -
shs spaniards aftsrwsrd concludsd, that