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HE history of the Spanish Armada, regarded from the naval, and not from the political point of view, begins with the year 1588, when the Spanish admiral, Santa Cruz, intoxicated by the success which he had recently gained off Terceira, proposed to Philip to employ his victorious arms agaiust England. At considerable length he explained what preparations would he necessary; and he endeavoured, by anticipation, to combat some of his master’s possible objections to the scheme. “If,” he wrote, “we fall to considering the difficulties of the task, nothing will be done.”