half an hour the blue division of the English were
close engaged with the rear of the French; but the red, which formed
the centre, under the command of Torrington in person, did not fill the
line till ten o'clock, so that the Dutch were almost surrounded by the
enemy, and, though they fought with great valour, sustained considerable
damage. At length the admiral's division drove between them and the
French, and in that situation the fleet anchored about five in the
afternoon, when the action was interrupted by a calm. The Dutch had
suffered so severely, that Torrington thought it would be imprudent to
renew the battle; he therefore weighed anchor in the night, and with the
tide of flood retired to the eastward. The next day the disabled ships
were destroyed, that they might not be retarded in their retreat.
They were pursued as far as Rye; an English ship of seventy guns being
stranded near Winchelsea, was set on fire and deserted by the captain's
command. A Dutch ship of sixty-four guns met with the same accident, and
some French frigates attempted to burn her; but the captain defended her
so vigorously that they were obliged to desist, and he afterwards found
means to carry her safe to Holland. In this engagement the English lost
two ships, two sea-captains, and about four hundred men; but the Dutch
were more unfortunate: six of their great ships were destroyed. Dick
and Brackel, rear-admirals, were slain, together with a great number
of inferior officers and seamen. Torrington retreated without further
interruption into the mouth of the Thames; and, having taken precaution
against any attempts of the enemy in that quarter, returned to London,
the inhabitants of which were overwhelmed with consternation.

TORRINGTON COMMITTED TO THE TOWER.

The government was infected with the same panic. The ministry pretended
to believe that the French acted in concert with the malcontents of the
nation; that insurrections in the different parts of the kingdom had
been projected by the Jacobites; and that there would be a general
revolt in Scotland. These insinuations were circulated by the court
agents in order to justify, in the opinion of the public, the measures
that were deemed necessary at this juncture; and they produced the
desired effect. The apprehensions thus artfully raised among the people
inflamed their aversion to nonjurors and Jacobites. Addresses were
presented to the queen by the Cornish tinners, by the lie