The ships carried provisions enough for six months' consumption; and the supply of ammunition was enormous.
On the other side was the small English fleet under Hawkins and Drake.
The Royal ships were only thirteen in number.

The rest were contributed by private enterprize, there being only thirty-eight vessels of all sorts and sizes, including cutters and pinnaces, carrying the Queen's flag.

The principal armed merchant ships were provided by London, Southampton, Bristol, and the other southern ports.
Drake was followed by some privateers; Hawkins had four or five ships, and Howard of Effingham two.

The fleet was, however, very badly found in provisions and ammunition.

There was only a week's provisions on board, and scarcely enough ammunition for one day's hard fighting.