the Atlantic to join the Dutch. He at once divided his fleet,
sending twenty ships under Prince Rupert to the westward to meet the
French, while the remainder under Monk were to go east and oppose the
Dutch.

A position like that of the English fleet, threatened with an attack
from two quarters, presents one of the subtlest temptations to a
commander. The impulse is very strong to meet both by dividing his own
numbers as Charles did; but unless in possession of overwhelming force
it is an error, exposing both divisions to be beaten separately,
which, as we are about to see, actually happened in this case. The
result of the first two days was disastrous to the larger English
division under Monk, which was then obliged to retreat toward Rupert;
and probably the opportune return of the latter alone saved the
English fleet from a very serious loss, or at the least from being
shut up in their own ports. A hundred and forty years later, in the
exciting game of strategy that was played in the Bay of Biscay before
Trafalgar, the English admiral Cornwallis made precisely the same
blunder, dividing his fleet into two equal parts out of supporting
distance, which Napoleon at the time characterized as a glaring piece
of stupidity. The lesson is the same in all ages.

[Illustration: Pl. I.]

The Dutch had sailed for the English coast with a fair easterly wind,
but it changed later to southwest with thick weather, and freshened,
so that De Ruyter, to avoid being driven too far, came to anchor
between Dunkirk and the Downs.[27] The fleet then rode with its head
to the south-southwest and the van on the right; while Tromp, who
commanded the rear division in the natural order, was on the left. For
some cause this left was most to windward, the centre squadron under
Ruyter being to leeward, and the right, or van, to leeward again of
the centre.[28] This was the position of the Dutch fleet at daylight
of June 11, 1666; and although not expressly so stated, it is likely,
from the whole tenor of the narratives, that it was not in good order.

The same morning Monk, who was also at anchor, made out the Dutch
fleet to leeward, and although so inferior in numbers determined to
attack at once, hoping that by keeping the advantage of the wind he
would be able to commit himself only so far as might seem best. He
therefore stood along the Dutch line on the starboard tack, leaving
the right and centre out of cannon-shot, until he came abreas