THE DUTCH WAR 



history. It was many years before the impression made by this massacre 

 was erased from British minds, and in 1654 Cromwell compelled the 

 Dutch to pay £300,000 in compensation. 



The Commencement of Hostilities. 



The Navigation Act was passed on the 9th of October, 1651, and 

 immediately trouble began. Within a month privateers' commissions 

 were being issued and a huge Dutch fleet was being prepared. There 

 was still no declaration of war, but as both nations were spoiling for a 

 fight and both had powerful fleets at sea there was only one possible 

 outcome of the situation. The match was applied to the magazine by 

 Captain Young with a small squadron falling in with a dozen Dutch 

 ships oflF the Start, merchantmen convoyed by three men-of-war. The 

 Dutch Admiral struck his flag in time-honoured fashion in British waters 

 but his Vice-Admiral refused to and was promptly given a broadside. 

 After a sharp action the honours were paid but it was all that was 

 wanted. Within a few days a small British squadron in the Downs was 

 suddenly confronted by a Dutch Fleet of forty-two ships under Tromp. 

 The Admiral sent a messenger on board the British flagship to say that 

 he was there by stress of weather which made it impossible for him to 

 stay at Dunkirk, but he was answered in somewhat surly fashion that 

 the best thing that he could do was to get away as quickly as possible. 

 Blake had a further squadron at Rye and received an urgent appeal 

 for support, with the result that an action took place between Dover 

 and Folkestone. It was fought with the greatest fierceness, shore boats 

 constantly putting off from the coast with volunteers for the British 

 Fleet, mostly fishermen. There were a good many casualties, and 

 although it was really undecisive the British had the better of the action. 

 It was probable that they would have made it a victory had not Tromp 

 received at nightfall a message that there was a rich Dutch fleet of 

 merchantmen in the Channel and his first care was to protect them. 

 The effect of this action was to cause an immediate and imperative 

 public demand for war, to which the Dutch were by no means averse. 

 Both countries impressed both ships and seamen. 



The First Phase. 



War being officially declared, the first action of the British was to 

 attack Dutch commerce, and especially the herring fleet which contri- 

 buted so much to the quarrel. Blake was sent North to cut up the 

 fishermen and to destroy the Dutch Baltic trade, and he carried out his 

 instructions with the utmost consideration for non-combatants, a con- 

 sideration that was far ahead of his day. Meanwhile Ayscue was in the 

 Channel on similar work and making a number of rich prizes. The 

 returning Dutch ambassador was able to take full information back to 

 Holland concerning the disposition of our fleet, and meeting Tromp 

 gave him all the intelligence that he wanted of the weakness of Ayscue's 

 squadron, over which he had a great superiority. Ever^nhing was in 

 the Dutchman's favour until a change of wind went against him, while 



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