Appendix B — The English and Spanish Fleets in 1588
It is difficult to estimate the numbers of the fleets at any definite date. The lists collected by Captain Fernandez Duro in his work ‘La Armada Invencible’ differ widely. The tables of the Spanish fleet are based upon a careful study and comparison of these lists, especially Nos. 145, 150, and 180. It is worthy of note that the approximate total arrived at is that given by Admiral Pedro de Valdes to Drake as the strength of the Armada.
As regards tonnage, that of the English ships is, with few exceptions, calculated on the contemporary Burden Rule (length of keel, multiplied by the beam and the draft of water, and the product divided by 100), with 25 per cent. added. The amount added for ‘ton and tonnage’ varied from 25 to 33-1/3 per cent.
The tonnage of the Spanish ships is taken from the official figures. Mr. Julian Corbett thinks that the Spanish system of measurement gave results much higher than those of the English, but after studying and applying the English and Spanish rules to the same ship-dimensions, the authors have come to the conclusion that the discrepancy in this respect was non-existent. The Revenge by English measurement was 441 tons burden; by Spanish rules, apparently, 430. The main deduction, therefore, to be made from the Spanish figures is in respect of the difference between the Seville tonelada (53·44 cubic feet) and the English ton (60 cubic feet). But even here it cannot be said that this can be applied to any but the Andalucian ships. On the whole, if a fair comparison be needed, perhaps about 10 per cent. should be deducted from the official Spanish figures; but nothing definite can be said.
The English Fleet
| Type of Ship. | Name of Ship. | Tonnage (Burden + ¼ Approx.). | Guns (Approx.). |
| Royal galleons (21) | Triumph | 1,000 | 64 |
| White Bear | 900 | 60 | |
| Elizabeth Jonas | 850 | 60 | |
| Victory | 750 | 56 | |
| Ark Royal | 700 | 56 | |
| Vanguard | 550 | 44 | |
| Revenge | 550 | 44 | |
| Hope | 550 | 44 | |
| Nonpareil | 550 | 44 | |
| Elizabeth Bonaventure | 550 | 44 | |
| Golden Lion | 550 | 44 | |
| Marie Rose | 550 | 44 | |
| Rainbow | 480 | 44 | |
| Antelope | 480 | 44 | |
| Dreadnought | 450 | 40 | |
| Swiftsure | 450 | 40 | |
| Swallow | 400 | 36 | |
| Foresight | 375 | 36 | |
| Aid | 300 | 32 | |
| Bull | 200 | 24 | |
| Tiger | 200 | 24 | |
| Royal barks, or small galleons (3) | Tramontana | 150 | 20 |
| Scout | 120 | 20 | |
| Achates | 100 | 20 | |
| Armed private ships and barks (73) | 2 | 400 | — |
| 4 | 300 | — | |
| 5 | 250 | — | |
| 19 | 250-200 | — | |
| 19 | 200-150 | — | |
| 24 | 100-150 | — | |
| Pinnaces and small craft (83) | 18 of Royal Navy | 20-100 | — |
| 65 private | — | — | |
| Total vessels | 180, excluding vessels fitting out. | ||
Of these, some 35 were detached or paid off on account of sickness, 145 were present at Calais, 8 were burnt as fireships, leaving 137 in action at Gravelines.
| Total crews | about 14,000 men. |
| Commander-in-Chief | Lord Howard of Effingham (Lord High Admiral of England). |
| Vice-Admiral | Sir Francis Drake. |
| Rear-Admiral | Mr. (afterwards Sir John) Hawkins. |
| 2nd Rear-Admiral | Mr. (afterwards Sir Martin) Frobisher. |
| Admiral of Channel Guard | Lord Henry Seymour. |
The Spanish Fleet
| Type of Ship. | Name of Ship. | Official Tonnage. | Guns. |
| Royal galleons (18) | San Juan | 1,050 | 50 |
| San Martin | 1,000 | 48 | |
| San Luis | 830 | 38 | |
| San Felipe | 800 | 40 | |
| San Marcos | 790 | 38 | |
| San Mateo | 750 | 34 | |
| San Juan Bautista | 750 | 34 | |
| San Christobal (Castille) | 700 | 36 | |
| San Juan el Menor | 530 | 24 | |
| Sant’ Jago el Mayor | 530 | 24 | |
| La Asuncion | 530 | 24 | |
| San Medel y Celedon | 530 | 24 | |
| San Felipe y Sant’ Jago | 530 | 24 | |
| San Pedro | 530 | 24 | |
| Sant’ Jago el Menor | 520 | 24 | |
| San Christobal (Portugal) | 350 | 24 | |
| San Bernado | 350 | 24 | |
| Santa Aña | 250 | 24 | |
| Italian galleon (1) | San Francesco de Florencia | 960 | 52 |
| Galleasses (4) | San Lorenzo | 1,000 | 50 |
| Napolitana | 1,000 | 50 | |
| Girona | 1,000 | 50 | |
| Zuñiga | 1,000 | 50 | |
| Armed private galleons and great ships (41) | 1 | 1,250 | — |
| 1 | 1,200 | — | |
| 2 | 1,150 | — | |
| 1 | 1,100 | — | |
| 4 | over 900 | — | |
| 8 | over 800 | — | |
| 7 | over 700 | — | |
| 6 | over 600 | — | |
| 5 | over 500 | — | |
| 2 | over 400 | — | |
| 4 | over 300 | — | |
| Armed urcas | 27 | 150-900 | — |
| Large zabras (barks) | 4 | 150-160 | — |
| Pinnaces and small armed craft of all kinds | 30 approx. | 40-100 | — |
| Water caravels | 9 approx. | — | — |
| Feluccas | 7 approx. | — | — |
| Total vessels | 141 |
Of these, apparently 3 large ships and 14 small craft parted company or were captured in the Channel, so that at Calais the total number was 124.
| Total of seamen | about | 7,500 |
| Total of soldiers | about | 17,000 |
| Total of volunteers, gentlemen, etc. | about | 1,000 |
| Total of galley slaves | about | 1,000 |
| Grand total | 26,500 |
| Commander-in-Chief | Alonso Perez de Guzman, Duque de Medina Sidonia. |
| Chief of Staff and virtual Commander | Don Diego Flores de Valdes. |
| Lieutenant-General | Don Alonso Martinez de Leyva. |
| Vice-Admiral | Don Juan Martinez de Recalde. |
Brigaded Troops on Board the Armada
| Brigade (Tercio). | Maestro de Campo. |
| Tercio de Sicilia | Don Diego de Pimentel. |
| Tercio de Napoles | Don Alonso de Luzon. |
| Tercio de Entre Douro y Minho | Don Francisco Alvarez de Toledo. |
| Tercio de Isla | Don Nicolas de Isla. |
| Tercio de Mexìa | Don Agostin de Mexìa. |
Errata
Page 59. Habitancium should read Habitancum.
Page 247. Lord Adam Gordon should read Sir Adam Gordon.