NOTABLE ANNIVERSARIES. 



THE DEFEAT OF THE INVINCIBLE ARMADA OFF GRAVELINES. 



The late \Y. Clark Russell, in the 

 ' Mystery of the Ocean Star," thus tells 

 of the conclusion of the fight which 

 saved England: — "To follow the con- 

 flict in its close details would demand 

 such space as cannot be afforded here. 

 There was a terrible fight on the 25th, the 

 ships being abreast of the Isle of Wight 

 when the English ships sheared desper- 

 atelv into the very heart of the Spanish 

 fleet, engaging the enormous carracks 

 within a hundred yards, firing so 

 rapidly that their broadsides were like 

 volcanic upheavals, flame after flame 

 with scarce an intermission, until the 

 tormented Spaniards tailed on to their 

 topsail halyards to compact their tim- 

 ber castles into an impenetrable front. 

 On the 27th, the Spaniards at sunset 

 had hauled into Calais Roads and let 

 go their anchors, intending presently to 

 push on for Dunkirk, where — for they 

 were still buoyed up by vain hopes - 

 they believed the forces of the Duke 

 of Parma would join them. It was 

 now that Lord Henry Seymour united 

 his little fleet with that of the Lord 

 High Admiral ; and it was on this day 



that the noble Howard was directed by 

 letters from Her Majesty the Queen to 

 drive the Spanish fleet from Calais. 

 The Sovereign knew her sailors, and 

 was fearless in the instruction she gave 

 them Thereupon, the next day being 

 Sunday — that is to sav, at two o'clock 

 on Sunday morning — the night being 

 dark, and an inshore wind blowing 

 dead upon the Spanish fleet, along 

 with a strong wash of the tide, the 

 Lord Admiral of England let slip 

 some fire ships in charge of two bold 

 captains, Young and Prowse. They 

 drove accurately into the thick of the 

 Don, blazing wildly, vomiting shot the 

 while from heavy cannon which had 

 been loaded to the muzzles. It is the 

 wildest of all the scenes of this mighty 

 show; sky and sea lighted up fot 

 leagues by the high and writhing flames 

 of the fire ships, with the yellow-tinc- 

 tured phantasms of near and distant 

 galleons hurriedly and confusedly get- 

 ting under way, cutting their hemp 

 ables, toilmg ,n brace and halyard, 

 with the wild and agitated shouts and 

 ies ol the armies of soldiers, mariners, 



