Chapter I: The Sea Kings

PAGE Tercentenary of the Discovery of America, 1792 1 The Abbé Raynal and his book 2 Was the Discovery of America a blessing or a curse to mankind? 3 The Abbé Genty's opinion 4 A cheering item of therapeutics 4 Spanish methods of colonization contrasted with English 5 Spanish conquerors value America for its supply of precious metals 6 Aim of Columbus was to acquire the means for driving the Turks from Europe 7 But Spain used American treasure not so much against Turks as against Protestants 8 Vast quantities of treasure taken from America by Spain 9 Nations are made wealthy not by inflation but by production 9 Deepest significance of the discovery of America; it opened up a fresh soil in which to plant the strongest type of European civilization 10 America first excited interest in England as the storehouse of Spanish treasure 11 After the Cabot voyages England paid little attention to America 12 Save for an occasional visit to the Newfoundland fisheries 13 Earliest English reference to America 13 Founding of the Muscovy Company 14 Richard Eden and his books 15 [Pg x] John Hawkins and the African slave trade 15, 16 Hawkins visits the French colony in Florida 17 Facts which seem to show that thirst is the mother of invention 18 Massacre of Huguenots in Florida; escape of the painter Le Moyne 18 Hawkins goes on another voyage and takes with him young Francis Drake 19 The affair of San Juan de Ulua and the journey of David Ingram 20 Growing hostility to Spain in England 21 Size and strength of Elizabeth's England 21, 22 How the sea became England's field of war 22 Loose ideas of international law 23 Some bold advice to Queen Elizabeth 23 The sea kings were not buccaneers 24 Why Drake carried the war into the Pacific Ocean 25 How Drake stood upon a peak in Darien 26 Glorious voyage of the Golden Hind 26, 27 Drake is knighted by the Queen 27 The Golden Hind's cabin is made a banquet-room 28 Voyage of the half-brothers, Gilbert and Raleigh 28 Gilbert is shipwrecked, and his patent is granted to Raleigh 29 Raleigh's plan for founding a Protestant state in America may have been suggested to him by Coligny 30 Elizabeth promises self-government to colonists in America 31 Amidas and Barlow visit Pamlico Sound 31 An Ollendorfian conversation between white men and red men 32 The Queen's suggestion that the new country be called in honour of herself Virginia 32 Raleigh is knighted, and sends a second expedition under Ralph Lane 32 Who concludes that Chesapeake Bay would be better than Pamlico Sound 33 Lane and his party on the brink of starvation are rescued by Sir Francis Drake 33 Thomas Cavendish follows Drake's example and circumnavigates the earth 34 How Drake singed the beard of Philip II. 34 Raleigh sends another party under John White 35 The accident which turned White from Chesapeake Bay to Roanoke Island 35 Defeat of the Invincible Armada 36, 37 [Pg xi] The deathblow at Cadiz 38 The mystery about White's colony 38, 39 Significance of the defeat of the Armada 39, 40