the English fleet to anchor off Dover, under shelter of the cliffs, Tromp also anchoring at some distance to leeward, probably on the outside of the shoal now known as the Varne, so as to take advantage of what shelter it afforded.1 With the dawn, the weather having moderated, Tromp shaped his course for Dungeness, and Blake, avoiding the mistake of bearing down on the enemy till they were both clear of the shoal, edged off in the same direction.2 Nov. 30. The battle off Dunge. ness. Off Dungeness the two fleets clashed against one another about three in the afternoon, Blake having still the advantage of the Then followed a scene the like of which has never again been witnessed in the annals of the British navy. Twenty of Blake's ships-some of them hired merchantmen, some of wind. ' [In the original preface to vol. ii. of this history, Mr. Gardiner added the following explanation: I must, however, after an examination of the journal of Vice-Admiral Evertsen, withdraw my suggestion that Tromp anchored outside the Varne or Rip-raps the night before that battle, and revert to a view of the case which I had formerly discarded. Blake's movement westward to clear the Rip-raps' is, I now think, to be explained by his intention to charge before the wind into the midst of the enemy after the usual fashion. If he did so at once from the neighbourhood of Dover, he would find himself, when the manœuvre was completed, near the shoal, with the danger of drifting on it, or, if that were avoided, of finding it very hard to regain the wind.'] 6 2 The Coasting Pilot, published in 1671, gives to this shoal the name of the Vane or the Rip-raps,' and states that there were on it but eleven foot at low-water.' It is from Blake's own despatch that I have drawn my conclusion as to his course, and the cause of his keeping near the land, in opposition to Professor Laughton's view in his life of Blake in the Dict. of Nat. Biog., that Blake hesitated to engage, but was driven against the enemy by the trend of the coast. Blake's words are: "The wind increased at night, we riding in Dover Road, and the enemy about two leagues to leeward of us at anchor. The next morning proving less wind, the enemy first weighing, we weighed, keeping the wind to the Ness to get clear of the Rip-raps before engagement, the enemy sailing fair by us." Mr. Oppenheim suggested to me that Tromp's anchorage was outside the Varne-the distance of which from Dover is little more than that given by Blake-where he would find the necessary shelter. This would explain Blake's allusion to the Rip-raps. My own belief is that Blake meant to fight all along. 1652 twenty them men-of-war-held aloof and took no part in the action. The disparity of numbers, great enough before, now became Blake, overwhelming. Blake with but twenty-five ships was deserted by left to struggle against eighty-five. No heroism could ships, countervail such odds, and after losing two ships, the 'Garland' and the 'Bonaventure,' Blake was well satisfied to return to Dover, whence, on the following day, he made his retreat to the Downs.1 His honour and the honour of the crews who followed him into the fight remained untarnished. retreats with the loss of two ships. For a time the mischief was beyond remedy. Tromp picked up prizes at his pleasure, including the 'Hercules,' a man-ofwar on her way from Portsmouth to the Thames. It triumph. is said that he was only prevented by want of pilots from making a dash at the Thames.2 A party from his fleet The Dutch 'The Moderate Intelligencer, E, 683, 19. The statement about the desertion was certainly believed in London: The Admiral, writes Bordeaux, had been defeated autant par la lacheté de ses capitaines que par la valeur des Hollandois.' Bordeaux to Brienne, Dec. 12, R.O. Transcripts. Blake's own despatch is in Penn's Mem. of Sir W. Penn, i. 458. Compare a letter from the fleet in Perf. Passages, E, 801, 13. 'An account of the sea-action' in the same newspaper was evidently trumped up in London. Besides other doubtful statements, it says that twenty of the ships were 'Merchant freebooters,' which is untrue. Can the writer have had a sight of Blake's despatch, in which he says that one cause of his defeat was 'the greater number of private men-of-war, especially out of the river of Thames,' meaning that these had taken up so many men as to leave some of his own ships undermanned? Tromp's despatch in Hollandsche Mercurius (1652), p. 107, gives a detailed account, mentioning the hours at which various events happened. The first shot was fired at one, but the action did not begin till three. 2 Hollandsche Mercurius (1652), p. 109. Professor Laughton (Dict. of Nat. Biog., art. Blake') expresses his disbelief in the story of Tromp's fastening a broom to his masthead. No Dutch authority mentions it, and no English authority earlier than the Perfect Account (E, 689, 14), published on March 9. What is there given is a piece of news written from aboard the Nonsuch' frigate, Portsmouth, Feb. 28, ten days after the first day's fight off Portland. "Their gallant Mr. Tromp," it is there stated, "when he was in France (we understand) wore a flag of broom, and, being demanded what he meant by it, replied that he was going to VOL. II. P landed on the coast of Sussex and carried off cattle. Then, picking up prizes at his leisure, Tromp proceeded on his way, Tromp proceeds to the Isle of Rhé. convoying the merchantmen entrusted to him as far as the Isle of Rhé. As he was instructed to remain within easy distance of Bordeaux till the wine fleet had been laden for its homeward voyage, the English Government had some weeks at its disposal in which to take precautions against a repetition of the disaster on his return. Thus it happened that the new Council of State, chosen to make peace, was confronted with the task of pushing on the war more vigorously than its predecessor. All thought of opening negotiations for peace must be swept aside for a time. The first difficulty of the Government Nov. 26. was to soothe the injured feelings of Blake. The Admiral had offered his resignation, perhaps in consequence as much of a resolution of Parliament to give him colleagues in Deane and Monk as of his Task of the new Coun cil of State. Deane and joined with sweep the narrow seas of all Englishmen. And, indeed, at our first encounter, he having the weather-gage, came on so furiously as though he intended to swallow all up." Another pamphlet, New Brooms Sweep Clean (E, 689, 13), also published on March 9, tells us that "Van Trump is now pleased to declare against those who have purchased themselves fame as evidently appears by his setting forth flag or standard of broom, and, being demanded what he meant by it, replied that he was once more going to sweep the narrow sea of all Englishmen." In these two quotations—the other newspapers not mentioning the matter at all— there is nothing about the usual story of a broom hoisted after the battle off Dungeness. The broom is said to have been hoisted in France-that is to say, at a later date, when the Dutch fleet was waiting, off the Isle of Rhé, for the return convoy. It is, in the first place, exceedingly unlikely that a writer on board a frigate at Portsmouth should have been acquainted with anything passing near the mouth of the Garonne; and even the two publications just quoted know nothing of any broom hoisted during the three days' battle. On the other hand, after the victory had been won, there was every temptation to an English scribbler to invent a story which exposed Tromp as a braggart who had failed to carry out his boast, or even to invent a letter from Portsmouth to conceal his own mendacity. Those who have read Tromp's modest despatches will be the last to credit him with a boastful display. 1652 1 FINANCIAL DEVICES 211 own defeat. Blake's resignation having been summarily rejected, a request made by him that commissioners should be sent to inquire into the cause of the disaster was at once acceded to.2 Dec. 2. Commissioners sent to the fleet. Dec. 1O. The assessment increased. Whatever improvements might be suggested by the commissioners, there could be no question that the financial difficulties of the Commonwealth had been at the root of the late disaster. On December 10, Parliament, driven at last to face the necessity of increasing taxation, passed an Act raising the assessment from 90,000l. to 120,000l. a month. Hitherto the whole of the assessment money had been devoted to the army. It was now arranged that a sufficient number of soldiers should be disbanded Dec. 17. Delinquents' lands to be sold. Dec. 31. The late King's houses to be sold. 1653. Jan. 11. Revival of the idea of selling cathedrals. 1652. Dec. 21. The pay of the sailors raised. Prize money rates. to enable the army to subsist on 80,000l. a month, thus leaving 40,000l. for the wants of the navy.3 To obtain yet further resources an attempt was made to attract fresh purchasers of delinquents' lands, and directions were given for the sale of several of the houses of the late King, whilst even the lapsed project for the sale of cathedrals was subsequently revived, fortunately only to be once more laid aside. 4 With this prospect of increased supplies, Parliament was able to give encouragement to the sailors on whose good-will it would have more than ever to rely. On December 21, the pay of able seamen was raised from 195. to 24s. a month, and that of other ranks in proportion. At the same time increased advantages were offered in respect of prize-money, and special provision made for the sick and wounded." With this and with the improvement of commissariat arrange 'Blake's commission expired on Dec. 4, which gave Parliament an opportunity of making the change. The appointment was made on Nov. 26, C.J. vii. 222. 2 Blake to the C. of St., Dec. I; Instructions to the Commissioners, Dec. 2, Penn's Mem. of Sir W. Penn, i. 458–462. 3 C.J. vii. 228. C.J. vii. 245. 4 Scobell, ii. 227. 6 Ib. vii. 231-233. |