economy more Portuguese settled and rapidly the Flemish influence diminished. In 1583, as part of the Spanish occupation of the Azores (which began with a landing party on Terceira), a Spanish fleet was sent to Faial. During the expeditionary assault, a body of armed men landed at Pasteleiro and engaged the defenders. Although reinforced by French troops, the garrison was unable to fend off the invaders. During the Iberian Union of Portugal and Spain, the island was frequently attacked by British and French pirates. Raiding parties from the Earl of Cumberland (George Clifford) and Earl of Essex (Robert Devereaux) attacked the defenseless populations between 1589 and 1597. This was partly due to the influx of Spaniards to the islands, as opportunities for Iberian businessmen improved. The privateers robbed the inhabitants and burned what they left behind, not differentiating between Portuguese and Spanish people or properties. To protect themselves, the Faialense built a large number of fortresses; in the 18th century there were more than 20. Meanwhile, offshore from Faial, on 22/23 June 1594, in what became known as the Battle of Faial Island or the action of Faial, three ships of the Earl of Cumberland attacked the 2,000-ton Portuguese carrack Cinco Chagas, which historians believe to be the richest treasure ship ever to sail from the East Indies, firing and sinking the ship immediately off the island with all hands and all cargo lost. The Cabeço do Fogo Volcano erupted in 1672, leading to substantial emigration to Brazil, In intervening years Horta became a stopover for Jesuit missionaries traveling to and from Brasil and Asia. The Jesuits constructed a college in Horta, as did the Carmelites and Franciscan Orders. In the 18th century, the explorer James Cook also reached the islands before initiating his Pacific voyages of discovery. The people of Faial were active participants in the struggles between the Liberals and Absolutionists, finally deciding to favor the Liberals, welcoming the visit of King Pedro IV in 1832. For its loyalty, Horta was elevated to status of town. In 1876 work started on the construction of a dock in the protected harbor of Horta. As time progressed, Faial's importance expanded through this dock, as a way-point to trans-Atlantic traffic. Charles William Dabney, the American entrepreneur (17941871), was responsible for the growth of the industry of the islands with whaling, wine and orange exports predominating. A philanthropic figure, Dabney was responsible