[Illustration: Pl. II.]

Thus ended this great sea-fight, the most remarkable, in some of its
aspects, that has ever been fought upon the ocean. Amid conflicting
reports it is not possible to do more than estimate the results. A
fairly impartial account says: "The States lost in these actions three
vice-admirals, two thousand men, and four ships. The loss of the
English was five thousand killed and three thousand prisoners; and
they lost besides seventeen ships, of which nine remained in the hands
of the victors."[33] There is no doubt that the English had much the
worst of it, and that this was owing wholly to the original blunder of
weakening the fleet by a great detachment sent in another direction.
Great detachments are sometimes necessary evils, but in this case no
necessity existed. Granting the approach of the French, the proper
course for the English was to fall with their whole fleet upon the
Dutch before their allies could come up. This lesson is as applicable
to-day as it ever was. A second lesson, likewise of present
application, is the necessity of sound military institutions for
implanting correct military feeling, pride, and discipline. Great as
was the first blunder of the English, and serious as was the disaster,
there can be no doubt that the consequences would have been much worse
but for the high spirit and skill with which the plans of Monk were
carried out by his subordinates, and the lack of similar support to
Ruyter on the part of the Dutch subalterns. In the movements of the
English, we hear nothing of two juniors turning tail at a critical
moment, nor of a third, with misdirected ardor, getting on the wrong
side of the enemy's fleet. Their drill also, their tactical precision,
was remarked even then. The Frenchman De Guiche, after witnessing this
Four Days' Fight, wrote:--

"Nothing equals the beautiful order of the English at sea. Never
was a line drawn straighter than that formed by their ships;
thus they bring all their fire to bear upon those who draw near
them.... They fight like a line of cavalry which is handled
according to rule, and applies itself solely to force back those
who oppose; whereas the Dutch advance like cavalry whose
squadrons leave their ranks and come separately to the
charge."[34]

The Dutch government, averse to expense, unmilitary in its tone, and
incautious from long and easy victory over the degenerate navy of
Spain, had al