HISTORY OF MARINE ARCHITECTURE.

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So severely did Philip, its sovereign, feel the stroke, that he condescended toIntrigue with the newly formed government of England, and endeavoured toengage its assistance against the revolted state, by alarming and wounding itspride, through a representation of the indignity offered it in the receptionwhich the princes Maurice and Rupert had experienced from the Portuguesegovernment. The insinuation in great measure prevailed, but in the endrecoiled back, in vehement punishment of those dastardly sentiments whichgave birth to the humiliation, and the tyrannical lust of extended dominionwhich continued it. The destruction of the galleons at the island of Teneriff,by the English admiral Blake, the loss of an immense treasure, and what was ofstill greater consequence to Philip, that of his ships also, were the severe effectsof this retributive justice. T he surrender of Dunkirk to the viscount Turenne,and its immediate possession by the English, under an agreement between theFrench court and Cromwell, appeared as the climax of disgrace and downfall,far at least as the naval power and consequence of Philip was concerned.

The war, which with very little interruption continued for so many years,between Spain and Portugal, was carried on entirely by land, and, indeed, thesituation of the two countries rendered it natural, that such should be the speciesof arbitrement to which the dispute was referred. After a contest which con-tinued for twenty-five years, the Spanish court were content to make peacewith their former vassals, under the mediation of the king of England ; and bya public treaty, solemnly agnise the right of the house of Braganza to thethrone of Portugal. This partial exoneration from difficulty was, however, butlittle felt, and still less was it productive of advantage to the naval consequenceof the country. The treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle was equally negative in itseffects: and to so miserable a state was this proud imperious monarch reduced,that in the year 1675, he was under the necessity of soliciting naval succourfrom those very people (the United Provinces) whom he had formerly treatedwith the utmost tyranny and indignity, and whom he still affected to hold inthe lowest contempt.

The last remnant of maritime resource was exerted to collect a fleet for thepurpose of blocking up Messina by sea ; but this was insufficient for the intent,and the superior powers of Louis the Fourteenth compelled it to retreat, as theonly means left of preserving itself from destruction. The Dutch admiralDe Ruyter arrived in the Mediterranean almost immediately after the event justmentioned, and the reinforcement which he so opportunely brought to this fallen

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