weatherly
in deep water.

In contrast the British had a unity of government under the iron
hand of Cromwell, they had the enormous advantage of position,
they were self-sustaining, and their ships were larger, stouter
and better in every respect than those of their enemies. Hence,
although the Dutch entered the conflict with the naval prestige
on their side, it is clear that the odds were decidedly against
them.

_The First Dutch War_

[Illustration: SCENE OF THE PRINCIPAL NAVAL ACTIONS OF THE 17TH
CENTURY BETWEEN ENGLAND AND HOLLAND AND ENGLAND AND FRANCE]

The fighting did not wait for a declaration of war. Blake met Tromp,
who was convoying a fleet of merchantmen, off Dover on May 19,
1652. On coming up with him Blake fired guns demanding the required
salute. Tromp replied with a broadside. Blake attacked with his
flagship, well ahead of his own line, and fought for five hours with
Tromp's flagship and several others. The English were outnumbered
about three to one, and Blake might have been annihilated had not
the English admiral, Bourne, brought his squadron out from Dover
at the sound of the firing and fallen upon Tromp's flank. As the
Dutch Admiral's main business was to get his convoy home, he fell
back slowly toward the coast of France, both sides maintaining a
cannonade until they lost each other in the darkness. Apparently
there was little attempt at formation after the first onset; it
was close quarters fighting, and only the wild gunnery of the day
saved both fleets from enormous losses. As it was, Blake's flagship
was very severely hammered.

Following this action, Tromp reappeared with 100 ships, but failed
to keep Blake from attacking and ruining the Dutch herring fisheries
for that year. This mistake temporarily cost Tromp his command.
He was superseded by DeWith, an able man and brave, but no match
for Blake. On September 28, 1652, Blake met him off the "Kentish
Knock" shoal at the mouth of the Thames. In order to keep the weather
gage, which would enable him to attack at close quarters, Blake
took the risk of grounding on the shoal. His own ship and a few
others did ground for a time, but they served as a guide to the
rest. In the ensuing action Blake succeeded in putting the Dutch
between two fires and inflicting a severe defeat. Only darkness
saved the Dutch from utter destruction.

The effect of this victory was to give the English Council of State
a false impression of security. In vain