Though to leeward, they succeeded in breaking through the enemy's line, such as it was.

Being in too great an inferiority of numbers, however, they could not reap the advantage of their manoeuvre.[9] It only resulted in their being doubled on, and the two fleets were soon mingled in a raging mass without order or control; and when in the end they parted after a four days' fight, without example for endurance and carnage in naval history, the English had suffered a reverse at least as great as that they had inflicted on the Dutch in the last year's action.
Such a terrific object lesson could not be without its effects on the great tactical question.

But let us see how it looked in the eyes of a French eye-witness, who was naturally inclined to a favourable view of his Dutch allies.

Of the second day's fight he says: 'Sur les six heures du matin nous appercumes la flotte des Anglais qui revenoit dans une ordre admirable.

Car ils marchent par le front comme seroit une armee de terre, et quand ils approchent ils s'etendent et tournent leurs bords pour combattre: parce que le front a la mer se fait par le bord des vaisseaux': that is, of course, the English bore down on the Dutch all together in line abreast, and then hauled their wind into line ahead to engage.