A sharp engagement ensued, but the wind was very light,
and the English, by towing their fire-ships, managed to lay them
alongside the Dutch fire-ships, and destroyed twelve of these with a
loss of only six English ships. But, the wind then rising, Sir Edward
retired from the Hope to Gravesend, where he was protected by the
guns at Tilbury.
The next day, being joined by Sir Joseph Jordan, with a few small
ships, he took the offensive, and destroyed the last fire-ship that
the Dutch had left, and compelled the men-of-war to retire. Sir
Edward followed them with his little squadron, and Van Ness, as he
retired down the river, was met by five frigates and fourteen
fire-ships from Harwich. These boldly attacked him. Two of the Dutch
men-of-war narrowly escaped being burnt, another was forced ashore
and greatly damaged, and the whole of the Dutch Fleet was compelled
to bear away.
While these events had been happening in the Thames, the negotiations
at Breda had continued, and, just as the Dutch retreated, the news
came that Peace had been signed. The Dutch, on their side, were
satisfied with the success with which they had closed the war, while
England was, at the moment, unable to continue it, and the King,
seeing the intense unpopularity that had been excited against him by
the affair at Chatham, was glad to ratify the Peace, especially as we
thereby retained possession of several islands we had taken in the
West Indies from the Dutch, and it was manifest that Spain was
preparing to join the coalition of France and Holland against us.
Pages:
470
471
472
473
474
475
476
477
478
479
480
481
482
483
484
485
486
487
488
489
490
491
492
493