commerce and the navy of France excited the jealousy of both the sea
powers; rivals themselves, they instinctively turned against a third
party intruding upon their domain. Charles was unable to resist the
pressure of his people under all these motives; wars between England
and Holland ceased, and were followed, after Charles's death, by close
alliance.

Although her commerce was less extensive, the navy of England in 1660
was superior to that of Holland, particularly in organization and
efficiency. The stern, enthusiastic religious government of Cromwell,
grounded on military strength, had made its mark both on the fleet and
army. The names of several of the superior officers under the
Protector, among which that of Monk stands foremost, appear in the
narrative of the first of the Dutch wars under Charles. This
superiority in tone and discipline gradually disappeared under the
corrupting influence of court favor in a licentious government; and
Holland, which upon the whole was worsted by England alone upon the
sea in 1665, successfully resisted the combined navies of England and
France in 1672. As regards the material of the three fleets, we are
told that the French ships had greater displacement than the English
relatively to the weight of artillery and stores; hence they could
keep, when fully loaded, a greater height of battery. Their hulls also
had better lines. These advantages would naturally follow from the
thoughtful and systematic way in which the French navy at that the was
restored from a state of decay, and has a lesson of hope for us in the
present analogous condition of our own navy. The Dutch ships, from the
character of their coast, were flatter-bottomed and of less draught,
and thus were able, when pressed, to find a refuge among the shoals;
but they were in consequence less weatherly and generally of lighter
scantling than those of either of the other nations.