would have gladdened the heart of the gallant Beresford and his Albert Hall comrades of our time had they been carried out against the Germans, who have excelled the Spaniards of Philip’s reign in cultured murder and other brutalities in a war that has cost William ii his throne and brought the period of civilization perilously near its end.  It may be that the instability of petty statesmanship is to disappear, and that Providence may have in unseen reserve a group of men with mental and physical powers capable of subduing human virulence and re-creating out of the chaos the Germans have made a new and enduring civilization; and when they shall appear their advent will be applauded by the stricken world.

Incidentally, it may be added that the German nation, which has endangered the existence of civilization, would never have been despised or thought ill of on account of its defeat by the Allies.  It is their unjustifiable method of beginning the war, and the dirty brutal tricks by which they sought to win it, which have created enduring mistrust and animosity against them.  The law of human fairness is no more exacting to small communities or individuals than it is to nations.

Drake continued his relentless reprisals against San Domingo.  The burning of British sailors as heretics possessed his mind.  The distracted governor would have given his soul to get rid of him, but Drake demanded money, and this the governor pleaded was not available, but he was ultimately forced to provide 25,000 ducats, equalling L50,000.  This was accepted after the town had been shattered to pieces and the shipping destroyed.  The cathedral was the only important building left intact, the probable reason being that the remains of the great navigator, Columbus, were entombed there.  Already the mortality amongst Drake’s crew had been alarmingly heavy, and he was too wise a man to gamble with their lives until the bad season came on, so he settled up and hurried away into the fresh sea breezes, determined to give many more Spanish possessions a thorough shaking up.  The news that the freebooters were near at hand, and that they were committing shocking deeds of theft and destruction on the way, had filtered to the Carribean Sea, and struck the somnolent population with terror.  Carthagena, a magnificent city and the capital of the Spanish Main, was Drake’s next objective.  He had large hopes of doing well there.  The health of most of his crew had improved and was now robust, and their fighting spirits had been kindled to a high pitch by their gallant chief, whose eye of genius was centred on a big haul of material things.  On arrival off the port, Carlile, whose resource and courage were always in demand, was put in charge of a strong force.  He led the attack, mounted the parapets, drove the Spanish garrison away in confusion, killed the commander, and subsequently destroyed a large number of ships which were lazily lying in the port.  Many English prisoners were released, which was a godsend in filling the places of those who had died.