398 



THE SOVEREIGNTY OF THE SEA 



tion to the Scilly Isles, in view of the likelihood of his falling 

 in with the English fleet, its consideration, indeed, delaye 

 his departure, but the Government hesitated in coming to 

 decision, and a general wish was expressed to hear Trornp's 

 own opinion first. He accordingly prepared a memorandui 

 describing what the States' ships had done in the past 

 He said that whenever their men-of-war met at sea a shij 

 of the King of England carrying the flag of an admiral 

 vice-admiral, or rear-admiral, they struck their admiral's fla 

 lowered top-sails, and fired nine, seven, or five guns, the 

 English answering with a like number, and the States' fla 

 remained struck until the ships separated, when three or 

 one adieu-shots were fired, and the flag was then hoist 

 On meeting a single king's ship, he said, they did not strike 

 their flag, but only exchanged guns ; but it sometimes happens 

 that an English ship of little power tried to compel them 

 strike, out of pride ("uyt hooghmoet"), but when they fire 

 back and showed their teeth, and the English ship found it 

 had not power to force them, it went on its way with derision : 

 in such cases striking was a matter of discretion. When th 

 entered a harbour or came before a castle they fired a salut 

 which was returned; the flag was taken in and a pennant 

 run up in its place, and kept flying so long as they wei 

 there, particularly if a king's ship, carrying the king's 

 was present. If no king's ship was present, the governc 

 sometimes gave his permission, out of courtesy, for the admin 

 to wear his flag until his departure, when it was again strucl 

 and a salute exchanged. 1 



The substance of Tromp's report was communicated to the 

 States of Holland by De Witt on j^g March 1651, stress appar 

 ently being laid on the point that it had been the custom ii 



Tromp's memorandum was dated 



28 



1651. The original is apparent 



9 March 



lost (Tideman, De Zee Betwist, 68) ; but an account of it is given by his center 

 porary, Aitzema (iii. 731), and is printed in Appendix L. Tromp, in his Hescrif 



of JT October 1652, justifying and explaining his conduct with regard to the meet 

 ing with Blake, refers to a memorandum on the subject of the flag which he p 

 sented to a committee of the States on "Jan. Tesi'" anc ^ wmcn they consider 



,. - .. Feb. 21 1650., ,. ,. 



in arranging his instructions of March 3' 1651 (Gardiner, Letters and Papers, i. 



422). The dates here are those given by Tideman. 



