were captured, and rich cargoes of sugar, dye-wood, and cotton were brought home. But Captain Barker fell in oue of the skirmishes, nd severM other valuable officers lost their lives. Lncaster was engaged on this service from September, 1594. to July, 1595, when he brought his ship back to lackwall in safety. These two expedi- tions showed him to be an able, prudent, and courageous officer, well qualified for the high trust that was about to be placed in him.

In 1599 the merchants and adventurers of London projected an expedition, aud eventually formed a company, with the object of estMlishing a trade with the East Indies. A sum of ,000 was subscribed, and the preparations were steadily pushed forward throughout the autmnn. On the 10th of December Captain James Lancaster was appointed "general" of the fleet, with a com- missiou of martial laxv from the queen. His flag was on b6ard the Drago., ship, formerly named the ,qcourgc of Malice, which had been bought from the Earl of Cumberland for 23700. She was of 600 tons burden, and had a crew of two hundred and two men. The chief pilot was John Dvis, the Arctic navigator, who had just returned from the East Indies as pilot of the first Dutch Indi fleet. The "vice-admiral "was the H'c[or, of :4O0 tons, and a crew of one hundred and eight men, commanded by John Middleton. The _lsce.sio., of ;0 tons. with a crew of eighty-two men. was under hVilliam Brand; and John Hayward commanded the Stsa., of tons, and eighty-eight men. The (;.cst was to accompany the fleet as a victualler.

On the 31st of December, 1599. Queen Elizabeth laid the foundation stone of the British Empire in India. The Charter of Incorporation of the East India Company was granted to George Clifford. Earl of Cumberland, and two hundred and fifteen knights, aldermen, and merchants; Aldermau Sir Thomas Smith being chosen the first governor of the company, and James Lancaster and John Middleton being in the list of the first directo. The queen, in council, framed this grtt instrument with foresight and wisdom, and. it would almost seem, with some prevision of the future. Her majesty had cordially and graciously approved of the voyage before the issue of the Charter, and she sent Johu Mildenhall as her envoy to the great Erupt'or Akbar at Agra, 1)y way of ('onstantiuople and Persia.

' Some accounts make her tohave been of 800 tons.--W. L. C.