The Armada sailed, and came in sight of the English coast on the 20th of July, 1588.
The struggle was of an extraordinary character.

On the one side was the most powerful naval armament that had ever put to sea.

It consisted of six squadrons of sixty fine large ships, the smallest being of 700 tons.

Besides these were four gigantic galleasses, each carrying fifty guns, four large armed galleys, fifty-six armed merchant ships, and twenty caravels--in all, 149 vessels.

On board were 8000 sailors, 20,000 soldiers, and a large number of galley-slaves.