Ships. Tons. Mariners.
The Queen's ships, under Admiral Lord}
Howard of Effingham, consisted of } 34 11,850 6,279
Serving with the Lord High Admiral 10 750 230
Serving with Sir Francis Drake 32 5,120 2,348
Fitted out by the City of London 38 6,130 2,710
Coasters with the Lord High Admiral 20 1,930 993
Coasters with Lord Henry Seymour 23 2,248 1,073
Volunteers with the Lord High Admiral 18 1,716 859
Victuallers (store transports?) 15 810
Sundry vessels, of which particulars are}
wanting } 7
—-
197 29,744 15,785
=== ====== ======
Destruction of the Armada, July 19, 1588. This return shows that almost two-thirds of the comparatively small force, which achieved in less than twenty-four hours the destruction of the Armada of Spain, consisted of merchant vessels, many of which must have been small craft, for though the number of vessels exceeded those of Spain, the tonnage and proportion of their crews were only about one half; yet so thoroughly complete was the defeat of the great fleet which Philip had been so many years in preparing, that out of the one hundred and thirty-eight sail despatched from the Tagus to invade England, only fifty-three returned to Spain, the remainder being either sunk, destroyed, captured, or wrecked upon the English coasts.[1]
While events were maturing which, with the assistance of Hawkins, ultimately led to the complete overthrow of the Spanish intrigues, English seamen were exploring seas then unknown, in search, it may be, of plunder, like their compeers in the English Channel, but professedly, though not in all cases
- ↑ See also Macpherson, ii. pp. 185, 186. The tables in the College Hall of Westminster School are made of Spanish chestnut, said to have been taken from some of the ships of the Armada.
