sery. The false line of policy that began with Louis XIV. also
turned France away from a promising career in India, in the days of
his successor.

[Illustration: ENGLISH CHANNEL AND NORTH SEA.]

Meanwhile the two maritime States, England and Holland, though eying
France distrustfully, had greater and growing grudges against each
other, which under the fostering care of Charles II. led to war. The
true cause was doubtless commercial jealousy, and the conflict sprang
immediately from collisions between the trading companies. Hostilities
began on the west coast of Africa; and an English squadron, in 1664,
after subduing several Dutch stations there, sailed to New Amsterdam
(now New York), and seized it. All these affairs took place before the
formal declaration of war in February, 1665. This war was undoubtedly
popular in England; the instinct of the people found an expression by
the lips of Monk, who is reported to have said, "What matters this or
that reason? What we want is more of the trade which the Dutch now
have." There is also little room to doubt that, despite the
pretensions of the trading companies, the government of the United
Provinces would gladly have avoided the war; the able man who was at
their head saw too clearly the delicate position in which they stood
between England and France. They claimed, however, the support of the
latter in virtue of a defensive treaty made in 1662. Louis allowed the
claim, but unwillingly; and the still young navy of France gave
practically no help.

The war between the two sea States was wholly maritime, and had the
general characteristics of all such wars. Three great battles were
fought,--the first off Lowestoft, on the Norfolk coast, June 13, 1665;
the second, known as the Four Days' Battle in the Straits of Dover,
often spoken of by French writers as that of the Pas de Calais,
lasting from the 11th to the 14th of June, 1666; and the third, off
the North Foreland, August 4 of the same year. In the first and last
of these the English had a decided success; in the second the
advantage remained with the Dutch. This one only will be described at
length, because of it alone has been found such a full, coherent
account as will allow a clear and accurate tactical narrative to be
given. There are in these fights points of interest more generally
applicable to the present day than are the details of somewhat
obsolete tactical movements.

In the first battle off Lowestoft, i