| For many years England had been at odds with Holland over worldwide trading rights. The simmering quarrel boiled over into war in May 1652 when Blake's fleet clashed with that of Tromp off Dover. The Anglo-Dutch War was Blake's real baptism of fire. He and the other English commanders were inexperienced in comparison with Dutch admirals such as Martin Tromp, Michiel de Ruyter and Witte de With. In the conflict the Dutch could not afford to give way, so dependent was their country on overseas trade. Control of the English Channel was hotly contested in a series of huge bloody battles. The scale of the fighting was greater than that with the Spanish Armada. Hundreds of ships were involved and there were terrible casualties.
In numbers the fleets were evenly matched. The Dutch ships were more manoeuvrable but carried lighter fire-power, usually mounting brass guns, as did other European navies at the time. The English ships drew more water and mounted heavier iron cannon. In the treacherous shallow waters of the Narrow Seas the Dutch had the advantage, but where an English ship could close with one or more Dutch vessels in deep water the English ship always carried the day.
Blake was sent to intercept the Dutch merchant fleet from the East Indies off the Shetland Islands. Bad weather struck. Blake kept his fleet intact but the Dutch were scattered to the winds. Briefly the Dutch commander Tromp was in disgrace, and command passed to the brave but unpopular de With. Meanwhile the Dutch Admiral de Ruyter had been sent down the English Channel to accompany the incoming West Indies fleet. In September, having got the better of Ayscue's squadron and given Penn's squadron the slip, de Ruyter neared home. De With brought his fleet out to escort him.
Blake's fleet met that of de With and de Ruyter on 28th September. More by luck than judgement the English ships got among the Dutch, where their superior fire-power did great execution. The Dutch retreated to the safety of their harbours. The Battle of the Kentish Knock revealed the strengths and weaknesses of the English fleet in a large action. Vice Admiral Penn had run aground, Rear Admiral Bourne and Captain Badiley had been left dangerously exposed. Blake and his colleagues still had much to learn.
The spiralling cost of the war and the expansion of the fleet gave the government cause for concern. Some of those in power thought, now that the Dutch had been defeated, the war could be ended. The result was that Blake's fleet became much depleted. The seamen's loyalty was in doubt because they had not been paid. Those ships Blake had under his command near Dover had not been refitted. In November Tromp, now restored to command, put to sea to escort a merchant fleet down the English Channel. His warships outnumbered those of Blake by two to one. Blake's captains advised against engaging the Dutch. Blake ordered his fleet to shadow the Dutch fleet as it sailed southwards, but off Dungeness the two fleets clashed. Blake's own ship, the , became detached from the main battle, and the ships at the rear of Blake's fleet failed to engage. Darkness brought an end to the action, but not before the English fleet lost two warships. The Dutch got their merchant fleet away safely and, in effect, now had control of the Narrow Seas.
The defeat of Dungeness brought bitter recriminations. Blake insisted on a court of enquiry and offered to resign. Six captains, including his brother Benjamin, were disciplined. In the event Robert did not resign and four of the six captains (including Benjamin Blake) were eventually reinstated. The real lessons of the Battles of the Kentish Knock and Dungeness were learned. New Fighting Instructions and Sailing Instructions were drawn up. The scope for individual captains to interpret their orders began to be curtailed. The use of hired-armed merchant ships was discontinued, since these could not always be relied upon in the heat of action. A new disciplinary code, the Articles of War, was adopted. A new Admiralty Committee was appointed. At Blake's insistence the pay of the seamen was raised and prize money increased. Parliament voted money to re-provision the fleet.
In February 1653 Tromp began to escort the incoming Dutch merchant fleet up the English Channel. The English admirals were determined to prevent the Dutch making home port. However, the Dutch fleet found the English fleet squadrons scattered and sailed in to take advantage. Blake and Deane in the were hard pressed in the middle of the fighting, while Penn's squadron vainly tried to come to their aid. The prompt action of John Lawson, Blake's Vice Admiral of the Red, saved the day and justified the reorganisation of command after Dungeness.
Monck's squadron arrived and, in deep water off Portland, the English fleet pounded the Dutch warships, whilst Monck's frigates chased the Dutch merchantmen. The battle continued for two days up the Channel as Tromp tried to bring his charges home, until eventually he was forced to seek safety in shallow waters under Cape Griz Nez where the English could not follow.
It was a victory, but not as complete as it might have been. The casualties on both sides were terrible. At least five Dutch ships were sunk, and one flag officer and twelve captains killed. A news sheet of the time gave a graphic description of the captured Dutch prizes that arrived in English ports:
The English suffered too, particularly on the Triumph, Blake's flagship. Amongst the eighty casualties on this ship alone were its Captain and Blake's secretary, both killed, and Blake himself, grievously wounded in the thigh. Infection set in and Blake was put ashore. Ignoring the advice of his doctors, he returned to work at the Admiralty. In June he gathered a makeshift squadron and went to the aid of Monck who was engaged with the Dutch fleet off the Gabbard Shoal.
Blake's arrival had a considerable psychological effect - the sight of his flag raised a cheer in the English ships and convinced the Dutch to seek the safety of shallow water.
Blake's health broke. He was not expected to live and there was speculation about his successor. This time it took his body longer to recover and he was absent from the final conclusive victory over the Dutch at the Battle of Scheveningen in July 1653. |
