The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1898-05-11
SPANS FAMOUS ARMADA.
PRESERVED IN SONG, HISTORY
AND FICTION.
A Great Naval Incident of 1888,
One Hundred and Thir-
tY Vessels.

shores. That other armada Of Spain,
preserved in song, history and fiction,
was a different matter. We prefer to
call such power fleet, and armada is
only the Latin equivalent, meaning an
armed force, whether of sea or land. But
armada let it be.
This armada of1898 is cons 'ituted of
fifteen vessels. That armada of 1888
was constituted of 1870 vessels. BY the
best authorities it is said to have had
sixty-tive galleons and great ships, TWEEN
ty-five 300-ton and 700 ton boats, nine
teen tenders, thirteen Fl gates, four gal
leases and four galleys. 1t had a ton
mage OF Is 1868 tons. 1t was armed with
2,435 guns, $4,000 rounds of shot and
more than 5000 hundredweight Of pow
der. OF sailors there we're s, 450, and of
soldiers 10000. The church was repre-
sented by 200 fathers and monks. This
tremendous sea force was sent by Phillip
ii to destroy England and it's queen,
Elizabeth, and to restore the people of
the country to their mother church. For
years ii had been in preparation, and
never before in history had such a pow
er been concentrated. With all that,
SPANS little armada of today, now push
ing is prows westward, could have
blown it out of the sea in one hour.
Right bravely did SPANS power set
sail from Lisbon on May 10Th, 1888. 1t
set out with colors flying and with pro-
visions for six months. 1t returned to
Spain five months later with fifty-four
ships, battered and bruised, and a hand
full of men that were so emaciated as to
be scarcely abe to so ashore. Eugland's
victory is claimed by some to be due t.
God, by others to be due to British
pluck. However that may be, the arma-
da seemed to be doomed from the first.
Soon after sailing it was dispersed by
storm that ripped its masts from their
sockets and tore its sails like rotten rags
1t returned, concentrated once more.
and again sailed forth in the following
JYly. When Phillip began to get his
armada together England had thirty
ships. BY the time the armada sailed
this number had been materially incyeas
ed, chiefly by the merchant ships con.
verted into cruisers. This fleet was
manned by 1900 good and Indifferent
sailors, but the commanders were the
bravest, bodest and most skilled mar
liners in the world. Lord Howard of
Etingham was the head of the navy.
and under him were such noted sailors
aud fighters as Sir Francis Drake, Hawk.
ms, Frobishers, and some others, who,
as honorable and fearless buccaneers,
had filled the royal Golfers with good
Spanish gold. In all the wild history of
the sea there is no man so picturesque as
Sir Francis Drake.
Howard waited until he was warned
that the armada was in sight and would
soon pass Plymouth, La July the Span
iardS were seen standing up the channel.
Tie ships were deployed 10 the shape of
a crescent seven miles long, and their
number was now 150 They were in
command Of the Duke of Medina Sidon-
la. That night Howard sailed out of
Plymouth sound, and when day came
the Spaniards saw the enemy in full
lighting rig. The Duke ordered the
ships to close in and begin a general en-
gagement, This was attempted, but it
failed. Howard had mapped out his
plan in advance. The English ships
we're Unanswered with such consummate
skill that never could the Spanish guns
tell on them. On the other hand the
Britons fed galleons with shot. Tue
Spanish gunners and mariners were
slow. The British gunners and marin
ers were active. Not once did a Spanish
slot strike, while the Spanish ships
quivered and smashed under the Eng
lish fire, and their decks were red with
blood.
Heartsick at this failure, the armada
turned and sailed up the channel, with
Drake and Howard at their heels. For
SIX days, driven by English shot, the
armada retreated. Not once did the
action take on the dignity of battle,
The Spaniards did not strike single
blow. Two weeks later the Duke drew
In at Calais, bat Howard routed him into
the open by sending ships set on fire IN
to his precincts. Howard ordered Drake
to pursue, and the fearless buccaneer
wound hive aatan nm Lhn Snnn.-L -