Colbert and ruined the prosperity of France, was felt in its
consequences from generation to generation afterward, as the great
navy of England, in war after war, swept the seas, insured the growing
wealth of the island kingdom through exhausting strifes, while drying
up the external resources of French trade and inflicting consequent
misery. The false line of policy that began with Louis XIV. also
turned France away from a promising career in India, in the days of
his successor.

Meanwhile the two maritime States, England and Holland, though eying
France distrustfully, had greater and growing grudges against each
other, which under the fostering core of Charles II. led to war. The
true cause was doubtless commercial jealousy, and the conflict sprang
immediately from collisions between the trading companies. Hostilities
began on the west coast of Africa; and an English squadron, in 1664,
after subduing several Dutch stations there, sailed to New Amsterdam
(now New York) and seized it. All these affairs took place before the
formal declaration of war in February, 1665. This war was undoubtedly
popular in England; the instinct of the people found an expression by
the lips of Monk, who is reported to have said, "What matters this or
that reason? What we want is more of the trade which the Dutch now
have." There is also little room to doubt that, despite the
pretensions of the trading companies, the government of the United
Provinces would gladly have avoided the war; the able man who was at
their head saw too clearly the delicate position in which they stood
between England and France. They claimed, however, the support of the
latter in virtue of a defensive treaty made in 1662. Louis allowed the
claim, but unwillingly; and the still young navy of France gave
practically no help.