thinkithardtodeviseabetter。”Thequalityofthesteelusedforweaponsofwarwasindeedofnolessimportancefortheeffectualdefenceofacountrythenthanitisnow。Thecourageoftheattackinganddefendingforcesbeingequal，thevictorywouldnecessarilyrestwiththepartyinpossessionofthebestweapons。
Englandherselfhasonmorethanoneoccasionbeensupposedtobeinseriousperilbecauseofthedecayofherironmanufactures。BeforetheSpanishArmada，theproductionofironhadbeengreatlydiscouragedbecauseofthedestructionoftimberinthesmeltingoftheore——theartofreducingitwithpitcoalnothavingyetbeeninvented；andwewereconsequentlymainlydependentuponforeigncountriesforoursuppliesofthematerialoutofwhicharmsweremade。ThebestironcamefromSpainitself，thenthemostpowerfulnationinEurope，andascelebratedfortheexcellenceofitsweaponsasforthedisciplineandvalourofitstroops。TheSpaniardspridedthemselvesuponthesuperiorityoftheiriron，andregardeditsscarcityinEnglandasanimportantelementintheircalculationsoftheconquestofthecountrybytheirfamousArmada。”Ihaveheard，”
saysHarrison，”thatwhenoneofthegreatestpeersofSpainespiedournakednessinthisbehalf，anddidsolemnlyutterinnoobscureplace，thatitwouldbeaneasymatterinshorttimetoconquerEnglandbecauseitwantedarmour，hiswordswerenotsorashlyutteredaspolitelynoted。”ThevigourofQueenElizabethpromptlysuppliedaremedybythelargeimportationsofironwhichshecausedtobemade，principallyfromSweden，aswellasbytheincreasedactivityoftheforgesinSussexandtheForestofDean；”whereby，”
addsHarrison，”Englandobtainedrest，thatotherwisemighthavebeensureofsharpandcruelwars。ThusaSpanishwordutteredbyonemanatonetime，overthrew，orattheleastwisehinderedsundryprivypracticesofmanyatanother。”*
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