The English sailors knew that the sword of Philip was forged in
the gold mines of South America, and that the only way to defend
their country was to intercept the plunder on its voyage home to
Spain. But the sailors and their captains--Drake, Hawkins,
Frobisher, Howard, Grenville, Raleigh, and the rest--could not
altogether interrupt the enterprise of the King of Spain. The
Armada sailed, and came in sight of the English coast on the 20th
of July, 1588.
The struggle was of an extraordinary character. On the one side
was the most powerful naval armament that had ever put to sea.
It consisted of six squadrons of sixty fine large ships, the
smallest being of 700 tons. Besides these were four gigantic
galleasses, each carrying fifty guns, four large armed galleys,
fifty-six armed merchant ships, and twenty caravels--in all, 149
vessels. On board were 8000 sailors, 20,000 soldiers, and a
large number of galley-slaves. The ships carried provisions
enough for six months' consumption; and the supply of ammunition
was enormous.
On the other side was the small English fleet under Hawkins and
Drake. The Royal ships were only thirteen in number. The rest
were contributed by private enterprize, there being only
thirty-eight vessels of all sorts and sizes, including cutters
and pinnaces, carrying the Queen's flag. The principal armed
merchant ships were provided by London, Southampton, Bristol, and
the other southern ports.
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