HISTORY OF MARINE ARCHITECTURE.

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to protect their own commerce, but also to annoy that of their former masters.Nor was this the only service rendered to them by their marine ; for in the yearlast mentioned, a squadron of ships was fitted out for- the express purpose ofintercepting any supplies sent from Spain for the - support of the armyunder Spinola, who had just before singularly distinguished himself by accom-plishing the reduction of Ostend, a conquest which had long been attemptedby various generals, his cotemporaries, without success. The Hollanders fellin with these expected reinforcements ; and although several of the transportshaving the troops on board bore the English flag, and actually belonged tdsubjects of Britain, who had been their emancipators and preservers, yet therecollection of benefits so recently received were not sufficient to protect theships from the fury of their more powerful assailants. Several were captured,and the rest compelled to seek protection under the very guns of Dover castle,whither the Dutch were hardy enough to follow them, till their career waschecked by the fire of the batteries which opened on them.

Nothing can more evidently prove the growing consequence of these newlyrisen states : they secretly rejoiced at any opportunity of offering an insult tothe pacific and timid James, in revenge for his having refused, immediatelyon his accession to the throne, to fit out a squadron for the purpose ofacting against the Spaniards in conjunction with one belonging to Holland,consisting of seven ships of two decks, (that is to say, carrying two tiers of can-non) and two frigates, which were furnished with one only. James, on his part^pretended to be offended, but contented himself with making a remonstranceagainst the proceeding, which being disregarded, proved either his pusillanimity,or his want of power to enter into a contest, not improbably both.

In the ensuing vear, the states general having already tasted the advantageof carrying on a naval war against a more wealthy and less active foe, bentall their efforts in prosecution of the same system, but did not meet with thesame uninterrupted success which had hitherto attended them. Their fleet,indeed, fell in with eight galleons, homeward bound from Peru, five of whichwere taken, or destroyed ; but the king of Spain, very soon afterwards, had amplevengeance, for his fleet, which was of far superior torce, falling in with the Hol-landers, when on their return home, destroyed or captured the wholfe. By this,and other misfortunes, the Dutch naval force was reduced, by the end of the year^to twelve sail, in which number, several frigates, and vessels of still inferior rate,were included. Nevertheless, such was the indefatigable industry of this people, toVol. II. Y ;V' whom