The British, of course, went for this convoy, and it was a pretty
tough fight, the Dutch merchantmen crowding on all sail to escape to
Holland, while their men-of-war kept behind them, fighting stubbornly
to hold off the pursuing British. It was a running fight, which was
kept up for three days and nights, and at the end the British came
home triumphant, having captured or sunk seventeen of the enemy's
men-of-war and thirty of his merchant ships.
Van Tromp had to take down his broom.
* * * * *
HOW THE WHIP WAS HOISTED.
It was in June, 1653, that the two fleets finally came together for
the deciding bout. Both countries had seen that a big naval fight must
come sooner or later, and both had gone on building ships as hard as
they could to meet the danger.
When each fleet was about ninety ships strong, they met at sea.
Unfortunately Admiral Blake had been laid up in England with an old
wound, while the Dutch fleet was under three of their best admirals,
tough and plucky old sea-dogs all of them--Van Tromp, De Witt, and
Ruyter.
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