battle narrow seas battle narrow seas known battle sands naval engagement took place october anglo spanish war english fleet sir intercepted attacked spanish command fought way coast england finally english soon joined dutch fleet jan completed destruction background younger brother distinguished greatly soldier succeeded going english channel passing straits dover led panic called invisible encouraged suspicions attempt renewed larger scale achievement spain duke vision massive borne invasion england flanders council brought mere provided expense way lisbon defeated sir bay cost defeat took remaining lisbon filled vessels pay flanders sailing flanders took english ship left took troops complete complement men england word spread way attempt run english channel heading approach informed arrived brittany beginning october queen elizabeth decided act appointed sir join states fleet states holland sent flotilla ships vice admiral intercept force arrived near spain escaped north outbreak smallpox afflicted sent ships north jan known english engagement ships gun hope gun victory answer departed patrolled flag captain came strategy tackle predicted try sail close english coast acting set ship good distance good communication system erected dutch fleet flemish coast acting vice admiral jan 3rd soon joined dutch moon improve communication effectively sailing trap action english october midnight soon sighted ordered attack moon answer charged seeing decided swing round face direction flanders coast lead ship philip ran straight victory hope forcing inadvertently east happened spanish came fire english ships differs depending sources asserted nearly battered submission victory guns able escape came support drawing victory hopes fire hand claimed succeeded passing unscathed english ships rowing strength decided creating damage possible instead concentrating fire switched target result believed damage inflicted saw time reached spanish started retreat desperation flemish coast gale blowing strongly west hampered spanish attempts pursued english ships soon gunfire warnings signals dutch engage dutch join attack action continued narrow seas dutch admiral jan soon cut spanish english waited outside flemish road case tried escape states ship came sight attacked damaged pouring broadside drawing found close vice admiral tried evade discovery remaining darkness disastrous results bore straight struck amidships carrying mainmast whilst difficulty wreck sent tremendous volley cannon fire straight waist state bore complete work sunk quickly carrying slaves sailors soldiers trying tactic attacked dutch drove sail managed ram struck mainmast stern blow carried away return completely demolished stern vice admiral came half moon finished morning star tearing apart victory states chasing san_juan sinking state escape gale blowing option respective commanders run aground near end succeeded reaching safety managed evade dutch english long ended wrecked french coast near bore thirty pay attempted reach tide low forced wait dutch ships fell succeeded sailing dutch vessels reached battle ended dutch blockade formed prevent escape aftermath casualties exceptionally heavy spanish sank hands killed wounded captured wrecked french spanish crew interned slaves freed casualties dutch english light ships suffering casualties dutch ships damaged took place rest dutch ships suffered minor damage english ships suffered damage broken mast gale battle clearly showed difference transition warfare introduction cheaper cast iron guns proved death war significant military vessel rewarded victory named vice admiral narrow seas commemoration battle received honorary golden chains states holland managed save half reached soon able join ships sailed possessed threat english dutch shipping english dutch gradually able gain supremacy seas english channel european waters result defeated mortally wounded battle blockading dutch forces attempt escape death subsequent surrender dutch ended dreams english fears borne invasion england flanders
Battle of the Narrow Seas