was that every invasion of the island ended in a compromise, so that
no one race ever got complete predominance. In time all the elements
mingled and became one people.

14. Influence of the Channel in Later History.

Furthermore, the immense protective value of the Channel to England
may be traced down to our own day. In the great crisis when Simon de
Montfort was fighting (1264) to secure parliamentary representation
for the people (S213), King Henry III sought help from France. The
French monarcy got a fleet ready to send to England, but bad weather
held it back, and Henry was obliged to concede De Montfort's demands
for reform.[1]

[1] W. Stubb's "Select Charters," p. 401

Again, when the Spanish Armada swooped down upn England (1588) a
terrible tempest dispersed a part of the enemy's fleet. Many of the
vessels were wrecked (S399) and only a few were left to creep back,
crippled and disheartened, to the ports of Spain. When Queen
Elizabeth publicly thanked the leaders of her valiant navy for what
they had done to repel the Spanish forces, she also acknowledged how
much England owed to the protective power of wind and wave.

The same elements taught Napoleon a lesson which he never forgot. He
had carefully planned an expedition against England (S557), but
violent and long-continued storms compelled him to abandon the
hazardous undertaking (1804). The great French commander felt himself
invincible on land, but he was obliged to confess that "a few leagues
of salt water" had completely out-generaled him.