THE FIRST DUTCH WAR 393 



had been tried in the Admiralty Court, or to make repara- 

 tion. They suspended the letters of direct reprisal against 

 the Dutch, but not those against the French, which were by 

 far the more important. 



It was felt in Holland that such interference with their 

 trade could not be endured. There were loud complaints about 

 the seizure of the ships, and the opinion was growing in the 

 Netherlands that it was the intention of the Commonwealth 

 to force a war upon them. As a precautionary measure the 

 States -General decided on 22nd February to add 150 ships 

 to the existing fleet, "for the security of the sea and the 

 preservation of the shipping and commerce of the United 

 Provinces " ; and the ambassadors were requested to inform 

 the English Council of their intention, which was done on 

 5th March, with the explanation that it was not with the 

 object of doing the slightest harm to any nation, and least 

 of all to England, that the increase in the fleet was to be 

 made, but only to preserve their freedom of navigation. 1 As 

 this extraordinary addition to the navy of the Dutch Republic 

 would raise it to the formidable number of 226 ships, it is 

 not surprising that the proceeding was viewed in England 

 as a preparation for war. The Council, on their part, put 

 forward a series of more or less provoking claims. They 

 demanded reparation for wrongs and losses suffered by the 

 English at the hands of the Dutch at "Greenland" in 1618, 

 in the East Indies since 1619, and at Brazil; and they com- 

 plained of various other wrongs and affronts they had suffered. 

 But pending an answer from the States - General to their 

 complaints and requests, they agreed, on 3rd May, to discuss 

 with the ambassadors the thirty-six articles. 



These articles had been previously considered by the Council 

 of State, which had prepared a commentary on them ; and now 

 both documents were taken up together. On the proposals 

 concerning the sovereignty of the sea many differences arose. 

 With regard to the right of the English to visit and search 

 vessels, men-of-war as well as merchantmen, the ambassadors 

 referred to the edicts of the States forbidding warships to take 

 merchandise on board, and to the certificates of their Admiralty 

 to the same effect; but it was argued on the other side that 



1 CaU' Vcrbaet. Tideman, 94-108. Geddes, 198. 



