The Van Buren press., 1894-08-25
4 FIGHT 70 the DEATH.
The Thrilling Incident In the Career q
Adm. Blake.


The Thrilling lneidcns In the Career -
Adm. Blake.
After serving mis- country for many
years, both on land and sea, it was not
until he was over fifty-s;x years Of age
that Adm. Blake was given the COM
mand of a fleet at sea The expedition
of which he was in charge was sent to
operate against the Spanish Itwas at
Malaga. where Blake DESTROYED the
combined fleets of Spain and Portugal.
On his return to England he was hon.
ored with the title of warden 'of the
Clinque ports. 1t was but short time
after his success in snnihilating the
navy of both Spain and Portugal that
hostilities commenced between En-
gland and Holland which had been
measurably brought On bH dislike to
the Dutch. as well as wish to hnmil-
late them and destroy a rival upon the
sea
II was Blake of all others of the
naval heroes who was selected and in-
vested with the command of the forces
against Holland.
Blake found himself opposed by the
most celebrated admiral of the age. Van
Tromp, at the head of one of the finest
equipments that had ever been sent out
by the first naval power of the world.
Van Tromp appeared in the English
channel with forty sail of men-of-war.
and, by way of defense anchored in
Dover roads The fleet under Blake's
command consisted of only twenty
eight when he left Gravesend. Never
theless. Blake advanced at once. Van
Tromp weighed anchor at his advance.
Both fleets at once began firing, then
ranged themselves in order-ef battle.
4 desperate fight ensued. which con-
tinued from o'clock in the afternoon
till night. and the result of which was
that the Dutch, after losing several
ships, thought proper to retreat.
The next affair with the Dutch in
which blake was engaged took place
in November following. Van Tromp
having largely increased his force, hav-
ing seventy men-of-war and sixty-tive
ships, was seeking to find Blake near
the Downs. and he did. Blake's force
then scarcely exceeded half that of his
opponent. but, not willing to retreat,
he determined to try once more what
the superiority of his sailors could do
under so unequal strife. The conse-
quence was that after conflict from
eight in the morning till night, Blake
found himself compelled to seek refuge
by sailing up the Thames. The loss OF
life in this terrific encounter was i'm
mense. Although the circumstances
were such as to remove from it all dis
grace, Blake felt the discontinue OF
retreat most severely, especially as it
was followed by the Dutch admiral,
who Immediately made his way
around the English coast, bear
ing broom fastened to his MAIN
topmast, to signify that he had swept
the sea of British ships.
When Blake sailed from Gravesend
on this. his last coccasion, he had a
feet of sixty men-of-war, well equipped
and manned. Very soon he found his
old adversary. with seventy men-of'
war and three hundred sail of mer-
chantmen under convoy. The battle
this time was far more obstinate than
any that had yet been fought between
England and any other power. 1t was
light to the death of one or the other
as naval predominancy of the sea.
For three days and nights the two
fleets hung together in embrace
sailing up the channel side by side,
never for a moment intermitting their
fire: boarding whenever an opportu-
nifty could be given, hand to hand and
man to man." when, at last, on the
fourth day at daylight the Dutch, hay-
ing lost eleven of their men-of-war and
nearly all of their merchant ships and
finding that only one of the English
was destroyed, gave up the fight and
took flight for the coast of Holland.
This disastrous engagement with
Blake did not deter Won Tromp from
trying issues with him again, as he
| sailed forth, but with less force, to con-
test superiority. Several other engage
ments took place between the two adj
mirals in the course of a year, and the
result. upon the whole, was decidedly
in favor of Blake.
Having thus asserted the domain of
England over the seas, Blake returned
to receive the honors bestowed upon
him.
Blake was given n seat in parliament,
but was not long allowed to remain in
this to him an idle honor. Again he
was dispatched with feet to the Med
iterranean to chastise Spain for certain
insults which that power had offered
to the English flag. In this expedition
he acted with his usual ability. He
after engaged in an enterprise against
Teneriffe with great success While on
this particular service he was taken ill,
and sailed for England. His life was
fast ebbing. and his wish to die on En-
glish soil was granted by one hour on
ly. He expired while on his ship in
Plymouth harbor, August 27, 1857.
A magnificent public funeral fol-
lowed, and his remains were placed in
Westminster Abbey. in testimony of
the grief of England for the loss of her
greatest defender: but it was among
the many disgraceful incidents of the
restoration that Blake's remains were
removed. and inferred In ST. Margaret
church, London. Nothing, however,
done to his remains could remove his
glory from the page of English history
as having first taught Englishmen that
daring contempt of danger which they
have so often shown.
So honored is this celebrated hero
that do not know of a period when
there has not been a great ship bearing
his name, just as the great battleship
we saw recently visiting our own
waters hnnnrS this renowned admiral