The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-07-27
The Great Celebration at
Roanoke Island.
Continued from Page Thirteen)

of International interest especially to all
English speaking people. The landing
upon this island of the colonists sent out
by Sir Walter Raleigh during the years
between 15S4-'s7 and the birth upon this
island on the 18th of August. 1887, of
Virginia Dare is the opening chapter in
the history of the settlement of America
by the Anglo-Saxon.
Undoubtedly Sir Walter Raleigh is the
father of English colonization. Up to
the time he conceived the idea Of Eng
lish expansion through colonization,
England had no colonies, and her present
system of colonies, literally encircling
the globe. is an evolution of the idea
which he conceived when he sent his
first expedition, seeking under letters
patent from Elizabeth a landing and
settlement in North America.
When Raleigh conceived the idea OF an
English nation on this side of the At
lantic, Spain, then mistress of the seas,
had already made great Roadway in
colonization and was laying claim to the
whole of the American continent by right
or discovery, and when Raleigh and his
half brother, Sir Humphrey Gilbert, or
ganized in 1879 the first expedition to
this country, the King of Spain vigor-
ously protested. At first Queen Eliza
beth was inclined to recognize the claim
of the Spanish King and to interpose
objections to Raleigh's plans. While she
did not positively prohibit tho sailing
of the fleet in charge of Sir Gilbert, she
withheld her encouragement and protec-
ton. and the fleet was intercepted upon
the high seas and driven back to shore
by Spanish men, of war.
The expedition of June, 1888, was still
more unfortunate, but 1t was undertaken
with the assent and even hearty good
wishes of the Queen, showing the effect
upon the public mNd of Raleigh's per-
sistent and wise agitation in behalf of
American colonization. The claim Of
Spain to dominion on this continent,
which was at first almost conceded, was
now openly denied. The contest between
the AngloSaxon and the Latin races for
control and ownership of America had
begun. and to Raleigh is due the credit
of it's inauguration and precipitation.
The charter under which the expedition
of 1908, under Amadas and , Barlowe
sailed. shows that the original idea of
English colonization. differing from that
which now obtains in England and
America. contemplated governing
communities under the laws and customs
of the mother country. This was the ex-
petition which first landed here on this
little island. Amadas and 8arlowe did
not remain long, but they remained long
enough to explore the country herea-
bouts and when they returned to Eng
land made a report upon the fertility
and beauty of this country which aroused
universal interes. and caused the Eng
lish mind to settle into a fixed purpose
to contest the claim of Spain to that
part of this continent lying on the At
lantic seaboard.
The next expedition sent out by Raj
eigh was under the auspices and in con-
troll of men of the highest rank, such
as Sir Richard Grenville, Sir Ralph
Lane and Thomas Harriet. The settle
ments made upon this island by these
oolonists, and by those who came later
under Captain John White as Governor,
met with many misfortunes and calami-
ties and were not permanent, but they
established English right here, they re-
suited in the shedding of English blood
upon the soil of the New World, in the
assertion and defence of that right and
in the birth in this distant land of an
English child. The failure of these eff
forts of Raleigh's to permanently plant
the English nag here grew out of the
hostile attitude of Spain to English
colonization in America, eventuating in
open attacks on the high seas upon his
little fleets and the capture OF his relief
and supply ships.
The time had now come for settlement
MI no
that there could be no successful Eng
lish colonization in America, or else
where, until Spain was driven from the
high seas, or her power there broken and
brought into subordination. The open
conflict of arms which now begun. and
which ended in the destruction of the
So called Invincible Armada in the Eng
lish channel and the overthrow of Span
1sh supremacy on the high seas was due,
not so much to the bitter personal and
religious Quarrels between Phillip and
Elizabeth, as to the struggle between
the two dominant races represented by
these sovereigns for supremacy on this
content. The question to be settled was,
who should control America, the Anglo
Saxon or the Latin race. Had that con-
fict ended differently, America would
have been settled by the Latin instead
of the Anglo-Saxon. The impeachment to
English colonization in America having
been removed by the result of this war
which had interrupted it, the idea which
Raleigh had conceived, and In part car
ried out, was taken up by others and the
work OF English colonization in America
proceeded without interruption and the
great Republic which today extends from
ocean to ocean and from the lakes to
the gulf Is the result. jamestown came
after Roanoke. but had there been no
Roanoke there might have been no
jamestown. Captain John Smith sue
eeeded Raleigh had failed, but Captain
Smith would probably not have succeed
ed had not Raleigh tried and failed.
Without Raleigh and Roanoke it is
doubtful whether there would have been
any English nation planted here, and
the great Republic which for more than
a hundred years has led the world to
higher ideals in life and government
might not have been. but in the stead
of its benefcent sway there might be to-
day one great, or many petty despotisms,
dominating the destinies OF this great
Western World.
Il