The Four Days' Battle of 1666: The Greatest Sea Fight of the Age of Sail by Frank L Fox

Author:Frank L Fox
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: HISTORY / Military / Naval
ISBN: 9781783469635
Publisher: Seaforth Publishing
Published: 2009-07-15T16:00:00+00:00

A week later d’Estrades replied that de Ruyter had reiterated that he could promise nothing before 21 May. Johan de Witt had nevertheless assured the ambassador that if the English sent a detachment against the French, the Dutch would immediately sail to the Thames with all the ships that were already prepared. This was no comfort to the King of France. If the English were allowed the first move, his fleet would be doomed before the Dutch could react. Considering that this was exactly what Prince Rupert had in mind, Louis’ concern was by no means unjustified.

While the couriers galloped back and forth between Paris and The Hague, there were several developments. The French fleet sailed from Toulon on 19 April, Smith’s squadron was found to have returned to England, and the embarkation of Marie-Françoise was postponed until 5 June. That change was reluctantly approved on 23 April at the behest of the Marquis de Sande, the Portuguese envoy who had been sent to take charge of the new Queen’s entourage. He claimed to be subject to seasickness; his constitution, he said, could never bear the usual storms of April and May, and he would not consent to embark before the quiet season arrived. On 30 April Louis advised Beaufort that the Dutch were not ready, though with some exaggeration:

Inasmuch as the English fleet is not being opposed in the Channel by that of the States, which no matter how much I had urged them to do so will be at sea only by next June the 10th or 12th [New Style], I fear that they will seek out my fleet and do battle with it to their great advantage.

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