great Spanish galleons against one Queen's ship, the Revenge. In
1593, two of the Queen's ships, accompanied by a number of
merchant ships, sailed for the West Indies, under Burroughs,
Frobisher, and Cross, and amongst their other captures they took
the greatest of all the East India caracks, a vessel of 1600
tons, 700 men, and 36 brass cannon, laden with a magnificent
cargo. She was taken to Dartmouth, and surprised all who saw
her, being the largest ship that had ever been seen in England.
In 1594, Captain James Lancaster set sail with three ships upon a
voyage of adventure. He was joined by some Dutch and French
privateers. The result was, that they captured thirty-nine of
the Spanish ships. Sir Amias Preston, Sir John Hawkins, and Sir
Francis Drake, also continued their action upon the seas. Lord
Admiral Howard and the Earl of Essex made their famous attack
upon Cadiz for the purpose of destroying the new Armada; they
demolished all the forts; sank eleven of the King of Spain's best
ships, forty-four merchant ships, and brought home much booty.

Nor was maritime discovery neglected. The planting of new
colonies began, for the English people had already begun to
swarm. In 1578, Sir Humphrey Gilbert planted Newfoundland for
the Queen. In 1584, Sir Waiter Raleigh planted the first
settlement in Virginia. Nor was the North-west passage
neglected; for in 1580, Captain Pett (a name famous on the
Thames) set sail from Harwich in the George, accompanied by
Captain Jackman in the William. They reached the ice in the
North Sea, but were compelled to return without effecting their
purpose! Will it be believed that the George was only of 40 tons,
and that its crew consisted of nine men and a boy; and that the
William was of 20 tons, with five men and a boy? The wonder is