The next day, at four in the morning, he bore down on the French fleet, and formed his vessels in order of battle.

He had not sixty sail of the line, and the French had at least eighty; but his ships were more strongly manned than those of the enemy.

He placed the Dutch in the van and gave them the signal to engage.

That signal was promptly obeyed.

Evertsen and his countrymen fought with a courage to which both their English allies and their French enemies, in spite of national prejudices, did full justice.