gainst Cadiz, which was
the great European centre of the Spanish-American trade; there came
the specie and products of the West, and thence they were dispersed
through Europe. It had been the purpose of William III. also to seize
Cartagena, one of the principal centres of the same trade in the other
hemisphere; and to that end, six months before his death, in
September, 1701, he had despatched there a squadron under that
traditional seaman of the olden time, Benbow. Benbow fell in with a
French squadron sent to supply and strengthen the place, and brought
it to action north of Cartagena; but though superior in force, the
treason of several of his captains, who kept out of action, defeated
his purpose, and after fighting till his ship was helpless and he
himself had received a mortal wound, the French escaped and Cartagena
was saved. Before his death Benbow received a letter from the French
commodore to this effect: "Yesterday morning I had no hope but I
should have supped in your cabin. As for those cowardly captains of
yours, hang them up, for, by God! they deserve it." And hanged two of
them were. Rooke's expedition against Cadiz also failed, as it was
nearly certain to do; for his instructions were so to act as to
conciliate the Spanish people and disincline them to the Bourbon king.
Such doubtful orders tied his hands; but after failing there, he
learned that the galleons from the West Indies, loaded with silver and
merchandise, had put into Vigo Bay under escort of French
ships-of-war. He went there at once, and found the enemy in a harbor
whose entrance was but three quarters of a mile wide, defended by
fortifications and a heavy boom; but a passage was forced through the
boom under a hot fire, the place seized, and all the shipping, with
much of the specie, either taken or sunk. This affair, which is known
in history as that of the Vigo galleons, was a brilliant and
interesting feat of arms, but has no military features calling for
mention, except the blow it gave to the finances and prestige of the
two crowns.

The affair at Vigo had, however, important political results, and
helped to that change in the general plan of the sea powers which has
been mentioned. The King of Portugal, moved by fear of the French, had
acknowledged Philip V.; but his heart was against him, for he dreaded
French influence and power brought so near his little and isolated
kingdom. It had been a part of Rooke's mission to detach him fr