The Dutch at home were very much
afraid of war, because their land frontier was threatened by France,
while their seaways were threatened by England. But they could not
make the Dutch East India Company keep its promises; for oversea
companies in those days were mostly a law to themselves; and, in this
case, the Dutch at home, though afraid to say so, quite agreed with the
Dutch overseas in wishing to shut out the British from all the rich
trade with the East. The new British Government, under sly and selfish
Charles II, was eager to show that it would care as much for British
sea trade as great Cromwell had. So it did not take long to bring on a
war.
The first battle was fought on the 3rd of June, 1665, and won by the
British, who broke through the Dutch line. The Dutch retreat, however,
was magnificently covered by van Tromp's son, Cornelius; and the Duke
of York (brother to Charles II and afterwards himself King James II)
flinched from pressing home a finishing attack. Next year Monk, a
really great commander, fought the famous Four Days Battle in the
Downs, (11-14 June 1666).
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