They had already begun to cast longing eyes on the fair Spanish possessions.
Spain was still the greatest of colonial powers.

In wealth, in extent, and in population--both native and European--her colonies surpassed even those of England; and by far the most important of her possessions were in the New World.

For two centuries her European rivals, English, French, and Dutch, had warred against her in America, with the net result of taking from her a few islands in the West Indies.

On the American mainland her possessions were even larger than they had been in the age of the great Conquisadores; the age of Cortes, Pizarro, De Soto, and Coronado.

Yet it was evident that her grasp had grown feeble.