The desire of remaining sole lords of the ocean animated these states to an honorable emulation against each other.
After a battle of two days, in the first of which Dean was killed, the Dutch, inferior in the size of their ships, were obliged, with great loss, to retire into their harbors.

Blake, towards the end of the fight, joined his countrymen with eighteen sail.

The English fleet lay off the coast of Holland, and totally interrupted the commerce of that republic.
[Illustration: 1-734-blake.jpg ADMIRAL BLAKE] The ambassadors whom the Dutch had sent over to England, gave them hopes of peace.

But as they could obtain no cessation of hostilities, the states, unwilling to suffer any longer the loss and dishonor of being blockaded by the enemy, made the utmost efforts to recover their injured honor.

Never, on any occasion, did the power and vigor of that republic appear in a more conspicuous light.