asing harvest of results as those he sent
to America. He began that work in 1584, and continued to send
expeditions in 1585-1586-1587, until the invasion of England by the
Spanish Armada forced him to other activities, and even then he sent
two expeditions to the relief of the colonists, which, because of the
exigencies of war, failed to reach America. In fact, the attitude of
Spain towards England at that time was the greatest obstacle which
militated against the success of his colonies. His ships and his valor
were necessary to suppress and check the insolence and ambition of
Spain, who designed to conquer England and become mistress of the
world. By his valor, loyalty, and wisdom Raleigh was largely
instrumental in bringing about the failure of those plans and in
defeating the Spanish fleet, which had been boastingly named The
Invincible Armada. Again his zeal and cool daring won for England the
great victory of Cadiz, which has always ranked as the most remarkable
achievement in the annals of naval warfare. With only seven ships he
dashed in and destroyed a large Spanish fleet (fifty-five ships) in its
own harbor with a dexterity and valor not surpassed even by Dewey at
Manila nor by Schley at Santiago.

Spain was always his foe because she feared him, and it seems like the
Nemesis of fate that three hundred years later the death-blow of Spain
as a world power was dealt in Manila Bay by the nation which Raleigh
strove so hard to plant, himself all unconscious of what the years were
to bring. On that famous morning when Dewey startled the world and
chastised Spain for her insolence and cruelty, the ship which fired the
first shot in a battle destined to change the rating of two nations,
the ship which first replied to the fire of the Spanish forts, as if
answering the challenge of an old-time foe,--that ship was the
_Raleigh_, named in honor of that great man by the nation he had
fostered, and in that battle Raleigh's foe was humbled, Raleigh's fame
perpetuated, and Raleigh's death avenged.

After the death of Elizabeth the star of Raleigh set. He whose most
valiant work had been the defense of England against the attacks of
Spain was falsely charged with treasonable negotiations with Spain, and
after a farce of a trial was thrown into prison, where he remained more
than twelve years. The only mitigations of the horrors of prison life
were the presence of his devoted wife and his books. He had always been
a student