Drake and the Tudor Navy: With a History of the Rise of England as a Maritime Power. Volume 2

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1899. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... MAP TO ILLUSTRATE DfiAKE S OPERATIONS ON TUE SPANISH COASTS, 16H5 TO 15SJ. sweetmeats and courtesies, which as usual seemed highly to have gratified the English admiral.1 The time, however, was not thrown away; for the delay was improved by completing his re-victualling from the prizes, by firing or scuttling those that were emptied, and by resting his men after their late exertions. For his work was only begun. In Cadiz harbour, besides the loss he had inflicted on the enemy, he had gained for himself full information of the Spanish preparations for the great Armada. The situation into which he had burst was this. At Lisbon, as the point of concentration, the Marquis de Santa Cruz had established his headquarters, and here he was busy accumulating victuals and stores, and superintending the fitting out of the Portuguese galleons which Philip had acquired by his late conquest, and which, as the backbone of the fleet, were to form the Commander-in-Chief's own squadron. Here too was the Medici galleon sent by the Grand Duke as a symbol of adherence to his kinsman's great design and a few vessels of lesser degree, but as yet neither seamen nor soldiers had been mustered to man them.2 In the north at Passages, Oquendo, an officer who had highly distinguished himself at Terceira and elsewhere and had been appointed Captain-General of the Armada of Guipuscoa, was organising a squadron from the fine sea-going craft of that province, and besides a large vessel of his own he had six ships and four pinnaces nearly ready for sea. Cruising somewhere about Cape Saint Vincent was Recalde, a veteran of long and varied service, who, as the finest seaman after Santa Cruz in Spain, was destined for Vice-Admiral of the Armada. He was now in command of a similar squadron, consistin...