ong carried on between the two nations--the Dutch, notwithstanding the
gallantry of Van Tromp, De Witt, De Ruyter, and other admirals, being in
most cases defeated by Blake, Penn, and other naval commanders.

Soon after this Admiral Van Tromp put to sea with a fleet of upwards of
forty sail, under pretence of protecting the Dutch trade. He was met
coming into the Downs by a squadron, when he stated that he was
compelled to put in by stress of weather. The English commander
immediately sent notice to Blake, who was lying off Dover. Blake at
once sailed in search of Van Tromp, and on approaching, fired to put the
Dutchman in mind that it was his duty to strike his flag. Blake
commenced the action with but fifteen ships, and with them, for four
hours, fought the Dutchmen till, late at night, he was joined by the
rest of his fleet. By this time two Dutch ships had been taken and one
disabled, the English having lost none, when Van Tromp bore away and
escaped.

In the Mediterranean, Commodore Bodley, in command of four English
ships, fought a gallant action against eight Dutch ships, commanded by
Admiral Van Galen. The Dutchman laid the English commodore's ships
aboard, but having been thrice set on fire, he sheered off with much
loss. The second ship, which then took her place, was also beaten off,
having lost her main-mast. Two others next attacked the commodore, but
were defeated; though the English lost a hundred men, killed and
wounded. The _Phoenix_, an English ship, had meantime boarded one of
the commodore's assailants and carried her, but was in turn boarded and
captured by another Dutch ship, and taken into Leghorn Roads. Here
Captain Van Tromp took command of the _Phoenix_. The Dutchmen, thinking
themselves secure, spent their time in mirth and jollity on shore, when
Captain Owen Cox, now serving in Commodore Platten's squadron, hearing
of what was going forward, manned three boats with thirty men in each.
In addition to their weapons, each man was provided with a bag of meal
to throw in the eyes of the Dutchmen. Captain Cox pulled in during the
night, and got alongside the frigate at daylight. The boats' crews had
each their appointed work; one had to cut the cables, the second had to
go aloft and loose the sails, while the third closed the hatches and
kept the crew in subjection. Van Tromp was below, but hearing the
alarm, he rushed out of his cabin, and discharged his pistols at the
English, who