454 THE SOVEREIGNTY OP THE SEA 



however, a barren one, and the treaty had no practical effect. 

 Within a few years the Dutch Republic was in the throes 

 of war, first with England, and then with England and France, 

 and other treaties took its place. It had, however, an immedi- 

 ate influence upon the policy of Charles, who feared an alliance 

 of the two Continental Powers against England. When he 

 heard of the negotiations about the fishery guarantee he tried, 

 both at Paris and at The Hague, to prevent an agreement 

 being reached, and the obstacles which he interposed delayed 

 the conclusion of the treaty. Sir George Downing, the English 

 ambassador in Holland, who had taken a prominent part in 

 the debates in the Commons on the Fishery Bill, and whose 

 hostile sentiments to the Dutch were notorious, took up an 

 unusual attitude. He assured De Witt that since the United 

 Provinces were a republic and did not seek to encroach on 

 England, they might freely continue their fishery without 

 fearing the least trouble ; but England could never allow 

 that France, a monarchy, and a bold and enterprising nation, 

 should have unrestricted liberty of fishing on the English 

 coasts. It was feared, he said, that by its fishery the abundance 

 of mariners and the increase in shipping which would follow 

 would make it formidable to England, and this the English, 

 in accordance with their political maxims, would prevent. 

 The French had frequently requested and received licenses 

 for a limited number of vessels to fish in English waters, 

 sometimes for the king's table. If, therefore, he continued, 

 the proposed guarantee were agreed to, the Republic as well 

 as France would be de facto at war with England, because 

 England would never leave the French fishermen at peace. 

 The same language was used by Downing to many of the 

 deputies of the States - General, in the hope of frightening 

 them, but it made no impression. " I have declared to Down- 

 ing," wrote De Witt, "that sooner than acknowledge this 

 imaginary sovereignty over the seas, or even receive from 

 the English, as a concession, that freedom of navigation and 

 fishing which belongs to us by natural right and the law 

 of nations, we would shed our last drop of blood." l 



" Herr Downingh de voorsz. antwoorde begonde te justificeren, door de gepre- 

 tendeerde Souverainiteyt van de Engelschen op de Zee, . . . ende hebbe ick rondt 

 uyt verklaert, dat eer wy die imaginaire Souverainiteyt souden erkennen, ofte by 



