New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-07-08
Two Pictures of Holland
AS the Seas Mistress

IN 1865 Robert Clavell published work
Concerning His Majesty's Right and
- Propriety to His Dominion on the
/ British Seas and the Netherlands lnsup-
portable Insolencies," which he dedicated
! thumbly) to "the most illustrious George,
Duke of Aubermarle," ETC., etc, etc. In it
he paints the Dutch in cory colors:
"The profits which the Dutch have made
/ by their fishing on the English seas are az
vast as their ingratitude is abomnable
which with an elaborate malice they have
expressed by their manifold outrages in the
East and West Indies, where Chat no VIII
!any may be unpractised) to improve their
interests, they have added hypocrisy to their
avarice and to their ambition murder The
innocent blood which they have split doth
cry aloud for vengeance; nor can the guilt
CT it fall asleep, but will be lodged in the
memories of righteous men,
The author says that the Hollanders
utterly dsregarded His Maiesty's IN
doubted right and sole propriety in the
English, Scottish and Irish seas; that
they invaded the islands Of Moluccos,
Lantore and Poleroon," and that, despite
the strict alliance and confederacy for
partnership in the East India trade, made
in the year 16l9":
"Behold the Dutch (who would be bet.
ter neighbors TO US in the Indies than IN
Europe), began TO quarrel with US and 70
hinder US in our trade 10 free places, the
which the better { 0 obtain they ofttimes
seized upon our ships and goods, and, THIS
violence not to answer their expectation, they
at the last contrived TO make themselves the
absolute masters of the vast profits oil this
place.
I'm the pursuit thereof they have demol'
ished the English forces, and, laying violent
hands on the English themselves, who made
not the least resistance, they have tied them
20 stakes with ropes about their necks; they
have seized upon their goods; they have i'm"
prisoned their persons; they have whipped
them at the post in the open Market Place,
end. having washed their torn and wounded
bodies with vinegar and salt, they have
again doubled their scourges and multiplied
their torments.
"And. as IL they were the absolute owners
Of the Indies. they have assumed power TO
/ III m selves in the deciding Of the contro.
versies between the English and the Indian
over matters passed quite out OF their Juris'
diction, and, when law and riSnt have been
against them, they have executed their de-
cree by violence.
"These be they who have laid claim to
His Majesty's interests on his own British
seas, and, rather than allow them proper
unto him, they have declared them common
unto all"
Another picture of the militant Hol-
lander is drawn by the Rev. George Ed
mundson
THE varying fortunes of the obstinate
end fercely contested struggles with the
Dutch for maritime and commercial suprem-
acy in the days OF the Commonwealth and
Restoration are familiar TO all readers OF
English history, and especially Of English
naval history.
Never did English seamen fight better
than in those Dutch wars, and never did
they meet more redoubtable foes. The de-
tails Of the many logged contests marked
/ by alternate victory and defeat are now
more or less unintelligible save to the en-.
pert in the naval strategy and tactics OF the
times, but legends have grown round the
/ story Of Martin Tromp sailing down the
Channel with broom at his masthead and
Of the exploit OF Michael de Ruyter in burn.
/ ing the English ships at Chatham. The
names OF these two famous seamen are prob.
ably better known to Englishmen than those
of any of the contey- porary English admiralA
! save that Of Robert Blake alone"
?