A GREAT SEA FIGHT.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 2719, 14 December 1889, Page 2 (Supplement)

A GREAT SEA FIGHT.

Hkj:k is an account of what has been called " the most fierce and cruel light that ever was fought"—the battle in which Monk, with crippled forces and tliin crews, defeated Van Tronip and !)e Witt : —It was " a very orderly battle" (according to one of tho English Hag ollieers), in which the old soldier strove with extraordinary sk'll to win hick the weather gauge from the greatest seaman of the day. The two fleets were standing out to sea, line ahead in pirallt'l courses and a southerly wind, when the action began by Monk suddenly tacking on Tronip, with tho intention of breaking his line. Tronip taeked also to parry the attack, bat, though he was clever enough U keep the wind with nearly the whole of his fleet, u few of Ins ships were cut oi:' and put to flight. Then followed three determined encounter.'-, in which each fleet tacked on the other, passing each time closer aud closer in the desperate struggle for the weather gauge. Every time Monk disabled some of the Dutch, and every time lie pierced their line and scattered the part he weathered. Still Tromp kept the advantage with the bulk of his force ; but it was at a fearful sacrifice. In the last encounter the ships had fought almost at a pike's length. Again and airaiu two of tho Dutch admirals had tried to hoard the Resolution, and again and again they had recoiled before the storm of metal lli:it roared from beneath tho exultant soldier's feet, Old hands were awe struck at the fury of the tight. "The very heavens," says one, " were obscured with smoke ; tho air rent with the thundering noise ; the .sea all iu a breach with the shot that fell; the ships even trembling, and wo hearing everywhere tho messengers of death flying about." Since sunrise the fight had raged. It was now past 2 o'clock in the afternoon. Yet again the undaunted soldier of fortune charged ; but the Dutch hud their till. Thoir splendid fleet had Buffered terribly. Troinp's flag had been shot away, and he himself was gasping out his heroic life pierced with a musket ball. Of nine flag ships only two were to be seen with the main body. Vice-Ad-miral Eversen ship was sinking, and scatteredoverthe waters were burninghulks and the wrecks of captures blown up. As Monk tacked the Dutch spread their crippled wings and ran for Holland. Muuk limped after them till evening, burning, sinking and destroying. Over a hundred sail, they had stood out proudly as the sun rose in pursuit of the English fleet, "but they were very thin when the sun went down," As Gravesand Steeple rose in sight and the Dutch saw their shoals within reach, Monk gave up the chase. The victory, complete as it was, had not been lightly won, and all -hat night and the following day his triumphant consorts staggered back to Southwold Bay. The carnage had been fearful. Eight of Monk's captains lay dead, and eight more were wounded, though he, with his usual luck, had never a scratch. Killed and wounded amounted to over 1000. Tho Dutch had lost at least three times as many. Hardly a single English ship was missing. Abont 30 Dutch wore sunk or taken, and barely half the fleet were together at tho last.