This was the cause of our victory and their ruin.
Our admiral had with him thirty-five or forty ships of his own and of other squadrons, for the squadrons were scattered and order much lost.
The rest of the Dutch ships had left him.

The leader of the van, Van Ness, had gone off with fourteen ships in chase of three or four English ships, which under a press of sail had gained to windward of the Dutch van [Fig.

1, V].

Van Tromp with the rear squadron had fallen to leeward, and so had to keep on [to leeward of Ruyter and the English main body, Fig.

1, R] after Van Ness, in order to rejoin the admiral by passing round the English centre." De Ruyter and the English main body kept up a sharp action, beating to windward all the time.