Great Britain -- History; Great Britain -- History, Naval
D’Annibault sailed from Havre on July 14. On the 16th he was off the
coast of Sussex, where he wasted time in pillaging fishing-villages.
He then moved on to the Isle of Wight, and anchored off St. Helens.
Next day the galleys engaged the English fleet at long range without
result. On the 18th the French threatened an attack in three divisions
of ships, with the galleys as an advance guard. There was a dead
calm, and for a while the long 60-pounders of the galleys made good
practice. But before long a breeze sprang up, and Lisle weighed so
smartly that the galleys were nearly caught before they could put
about. They succeeded in doing so, however, and retired slowly, with
the object of drawing on the English great-ships. Lisle, however,
would not be enticed, and sent the row-barges in pursuit. They chased
with great daring, and before the long galleys could turn on their
nimble tormentors they had been well peppered. Had the French made a
serious attack, Lisle had formed an able plan for their discomfiture.
He designed to fall with his whole force on their right wing and drive
them upon the dangerous shoals of the ‘Owers’ which stretch eastward
from the Isle of Wight. The wind, however, was unfavourable, and
without it he would not abandon his strong position.
[Illustration: BREECH-LOADING WROUGHT-IRON GUN RECOVERED FROM THE
‘MARIE ROSE.’
The _Marie Rose_ was built in 1509. The iron pin may have been
used for manipulating the clumsy, wooden breech-block shown in
place. The rings or dolphins were used for slinging the gun.
(_In the Royal United Service Museum, Whitehall._)]
As it was obvious that Lisle was not to be drawn out, the French landed
raiding parties in the Isle of Wight. They were roughly handled by the
garrison, and then D’Annibault gave up and retired. Disease was already
breaking out in the crowded and dirty ships. The English lost the
great-ship _Marie Rose_, which capsized owing to her bad construction
and over-armament, carrying with her Captain Grenville, (father of the
hero of Elizabeth’s reign), Sir George Carew, and 500 men.
[Illustration:
A BRASS CANNON ROYAL OF THE TIME OF HENRY VIII., RECOVERED FROM
THE WRECK OF THE ‘MARIE ROSE.’
Length, 8 feet 6 inches; calibre, 8·54 inches; weight of shot,
about 60 pounds.
(_In the Royal Artillery Museum, Woolwich._)]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account