66 



CHAPTER II. 



1543 to 1606. 



The Spaniards conquer the Philippine Islands, and establish a direct Trade across the 

 Pacific, between Asia and America — Measures of the Spanish Government to 

 prevent other European Nations from settling- or trading in America — These 

 Measures resisted by the English, the French, and the Dutch — Free Traders and 

 Freebooters infest the West Indies — First Voyages of the English in the Pacific — 

 Voyages of Drake and Cavendish — Endeavors of the English to discover a North- 

 West Passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific — False Reports of the Discovery 

 of such Passages — Supposed Voyages of Urdaneta, Maldonado, and Fonte — 

 Voyage of Juan de Fuca — Expeditions of Sebastian Vizcaino — Supposed Dis- 

 covery of a great River in North- West America. 



Whilst the Spaniards were thus extending their dominion in 

 the New World, the Portuguese were daily acquiring advantages 

 in India, with which they carried on a profitable trade, by means of 

 their ships sailing around the Cape of Good Hope. The Spaniards, 

 viewing this increase of the power of their rivals with jealousy and 

 hatred, made many endeavors, likewise, to form establishments in 

 Asia ; but all their expeditions for that purpose before the middle 

 of the sixteenth century, terminated disastrously. The armaments 

 sent from Spain to India under Loyasa, in 1525, and from Mexico, 

 under Saavedra, in the ensuing year, were entirely ineffective. In 

 1542, Ruy Lopez de Villalobos crossed the Pacific with a large 

 squadron from Mexico, and took possession of the Philippine Islands 

 for his sovereign ; but his forces were soon after dispersed, and 

 none of his vessels returned either to Europe or to America. 



In 1564, the Spaniards made another attempt to gain a footing 

 in the East Indies, which was successful. The Philippine Islands 

 were in that year subjugated by Miguel de Legazpi, who had been 

 despatched from Mexico with a small squadron for the purpose ; 

 and a discovery was also made in the course of this expedition, 

 without which the conquest would have been of no value. Before 

 that period, no European had ever crossed the Pacific from Asia to 

 America; all who had endeavored to make such a voyage having 

 confined themselves to the part of the ocean between the tropics 



