The Invincible Armada

The mvmcible armada was a faraous naval expedition sent by Philip II of Spain against England in 1588. It consisted of 130 vessels, 2,430 great guns. 4,575 quintáis of powder, nearly 20,000 soldiers, above 8,000 sailors and more than 2,000 volnnteers. It arrived iu the English channel on July 19 and was defeated the next day by Admiral Howard, who was seconded by Drake, Hawkins and Frobisher. Eight fire ships having been sent into the Spanish fleet, they bore off in great disorder. Profiting by the panic, the English feil upon them r.nd captured or destroyed a nurnber of their ships, and Admiral Howard maintained a running fight f rom July 21 to July 2?, with such effect that the Spanish commander, despairing of suocess, resolved to return home, and as escape througb the English chanuel was preven ted by contrary winds he undertook to sail around the Orkneys, but the vessels which still remained to him were dispersed by storms or shipwrecked among the rocks and shallows on different parts of the Scottish and Irish coast, and upward of 5,000 men Were drowned, killed or taken prisoners. Of the wbole armada 53 ships only returned to Spain, and these in a wretched condition. The Euglish lost but one snip. -