usiness admitted of no delay.

They were soon seated. "Which way are we to get out of the British
Channel?" was the first question.

MR. WILTON. "There are two convenient ways for us to sail out of the
Channel: the one through the Straits of Dover into the German Ocean;
the other past Land's End, Cornwall, into the wide waters of the
North Atlantic. We will take the former direction, and anchor off
Yarmouth while we examine into the wonders connected with this
division of the mighty sea."

CHARLES. "The German Ocean is the eastern boundary of England, and
many of our most beautiful streams fall into its waters. I am not
aware of the existence of any islands in this ocean; and the only
fact I have to state concerning it is, that _here_ the French first
tried their strength with the English by sea. This happened in the
reign of King John, in the year 1213, and the account is as
follows:--'The French had previously obtained possession of
Normandy, and thereby become a maritime power, which qualified them,
as they thought, to contend with the English: they intended,
therefore, to seize the first opportunity of trying their skill;
but the English were too sharp for them, and came upon them when
they were least expected. Five hundred sail were despatched by John
to the relief of the Earl of Flanders; and on approaching the port
of Daunne, in Flanders, they saw it crowded with an immense forest
of masts; upon which they sent out some light shallops to
reconnoitre, and bring tidings of the enemy's condition. The report
was, that the ships had not hands to defend them, both soldiers and
sailors having gone on shore for plunder. Upon this the English
pressed forward and captured the large ships without difficulty,
while the smaller ones they burnt after the crews had escaped.
Having thus mastered the ships outside the harbor, the English
advanced to attack those within it; and here the full rage of battle
commenced. The port was so narrow, that numbers and skill were
unavailing, while the dispersed French, perceiving the tokens of
conflict, came running from every quarter to assist their party. The
English upon this, after grappling with the nearest ships, threw a
number of their forces on land; these arranging themselves on both
sides of the harbor, a furious battle commenced on land and water at
the same instant. In this desperate _melee_ the English were
victorious: three hundred prizes, laden with corn, wine, oil and
oth