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, delayed 

 his departure, but the Government hesitated in coming to a 

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

 own opinion first. He accordingly prepared a memorandum 

 describing what the States' ships had done in the past. 

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

 of the King of England carrying the flag of an admiral, 

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

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

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

 remained struck until the ships separated, when three or 

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

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

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

 that an English ship of little power tried to compel them to 

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

 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 they 

 entered a harbour or came before a castle they fired a salute, 

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

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

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

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

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

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

 and a salute exchanged. 1 



The substance of Tromp's report was communicated to the 

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

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



1 Tromp's memorandum was dated ~-jj f 1651. The original is apparently 



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

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



14 



of 7 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 pre- 

 sented to a committee of the States on "Jan. -^ THM'" an< ^ which they considered 



in arranging his instructions of "^ ~h~3> 1651 " (Gardiner, Letters and Papers, i. 

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



