BLAKE, Robert.- ALS.- R. DEANE.- Generals-at-Sea.- - Autograph letter in English to the Admiralty Commissioners [indicated lower left in ink] signed by both Admiral Robert Blake [1599 - 1657] and General-at-Sea Richard Deane [1610 - 1653 (1 June)], aboard the 'Triumph', dated February 8, 1652, just a few months before the Battle of Dover in May 1652. Patrolling the Channel and protecting British Trade. Maarten Harpertsz Tromp ordered by the States General to do exactly the same for Holland. This letter being written at the very height of activities surrounding the fitting out, capturing and building of ships by both the Dutch and the English, December 1651 to May 1652. General-at-Sea Robert Blake reaches a previously appointed point of Rendezvous w. a fleet of 40 sails. He complains of the 'want of seamen' and urges the Admiralty into action. Blake needs ships and men urgently. For a postcriptum see note below.

1652. 'From aboard the Triumph in the Swinn Feb: 8th, 1652 [Stilo antiquo?] Your affectionate freinds and Servants Rob: Blake R I Deane.' Folio. [Meas. appr. 21 x 30 cm.]. Single leaf w. appr. 42 lines of text in Blake's hand. 3 horizontal folds. (Paper w. light foxing and some light browning on 2 of 3 folds.). (Righthand side a few small chips.). (Paper not watermarked, nor countermarked.). (Spine overpasted w. a lightcol. strip of paper, hardly noticeable.). Important letter by Admiral [or rather General-at-Sea] Robert Blake, written on the 8th of February, 1652, a short while before the outbreak of the First Anglo-Dutch war. The 'Navigation Act' had been passed December 1651 [just 7 weeks before], legislation that decreed that no goods should be imported into England except in English ships, did not sit well with the Dutch. A further insistence on 'dipping of the flag...', originating from the feeling of British Sovereignty of the Seas, could only lead to trouble. The Dutch started fitting out 150 vessels [118 of which were ready by the end of May 1652] and Blake struggled to keep up having 96 ships at his disposal by the end of January 1652 and 29 more ships in the Straits, Barbados, Virginia, the Mediterranean. But under Blake morale and confidence were at an alltime high. An incident involving the non-striking of the Dutch Flag on May 12, 1652 put the spark in the gun-powder and relations went from poor to worse, culminating in the declaration of war on 10 July 1652. For an exhillerating account please be sure to read the pertinent chapters [pp. 134 - 154, ch. 10 & 11] on Blake and Tromp in Hepworth Dixon's 1852 'Robert Blake' [London, Chapman and Hall, reprinted New York, 2000], based on family and State Papers. Against Dixon's [melo] dramatic account, please consult the excellent work by Prud'homme van Reine, 'Schittering en Schandaal. Biografie van Maerten en CornelisTromp' Open Domein, 40, 2001, pp. 186 - 191, spec. on the Battle of Ter Heijde and Tromp's death.. Robert Blake, Admiral and co-signed by Richard Deane, Generals-at-Sea, both active in the 1651 /1652 campaigns. Blake was highly decorated and is considered to be the father of the British Navy. with Deane [who died June 1st 1653] and Monck involved in nearly all crucial battles of the era of the Anglo Dutch wars, battling against Maarten Harpertsz. Tromp and his Vice and Rear Admirals De Ruiter, Evertsen and Florisz, Witte de With. Some of the famous battles were the Battle of Dover in May 1652, The Battle of Kentish Knock, 28 September 1652, The Battle of Dungeness in November 1652, Battle of Portland february 1653. Battle of the Gabbard 2-3 June 1653 [Death of Richard Deane], Battle of Ter Heijde 8 - 10 August 1653 [death of Tromp]. This letter may be found found in NRS [Navy Records Society], vol. 76 [1937], edited by Rev. J.R.Powell, combination of letters 165 & 166 [State Papers Dom. 18, XXXIII. 33.1 & 2]. In our letter we read 'Wee came to this place being that which was appointed for our personal Randesvous on saturday the 5th instant, with a part of this fleete,...' In Powell's letter 165 [p. 198] 'Neither men nor ships do yet appear upon the place here..'; It seems the heading of our letter and the information of 'sailing into the other channel' were conveyed to the A.C. in a separate smaller letter. I have no explanation for the ommission of the first 4 lines of our letter in the transcription of letter 166 in Powell's work. Not present in the Powell transcription is a sort of postscriptum below the signatures of Blake and Dean concerning Captain Cubet [Joseph Cubitt from Portsmouth, see below] and his ship 'The Tulip': This day .. Captaine Cubet Command.r of the Tulip aboard who informeth us that his Shipp is very leaky [?] and having examined the Carpenter hee informeth us that ....' the ship was taken to Debtford [South London, Royal Dockyards] for repairs 'which might have beene mended in one tyde...'. Blake urges the Admiralty Commissioners to address these 'miscarriages' feeling strongly about not being able to deploy the ship AND losing an 'able and honest man ... into the Bargaine.' The 'Tulip' was originally part of the Dutch fleet and taken in 1652 by the English. See Rif Winfield, 'British Warships in the Age of Sail 1603 - 1714: Design, Construction, Careers...' [Seaforth publ., 2009], under 'fourth rates - "small ships", p. 100: 'Tulip (Dutch...), 32 guns. Dimensions & tons: unknown. Men: 120 at end 1653. Guns: 32 at end 1653. Taken 1652. Commissioned 1653 under Capt. Joseph Cubitt; at Battle of Portland 18.2.1653; at Battle of the Gabbard 2-3.6.1653; at Battle of Scheveningen (Texel) 31.7.1653. ... 1654... with Penn's fleet in the West Indies. Sold 1657.' Although Winfield puts Cubitt in charge of the Tulip in 1653, it would seem that Captain Cubitt was already 'linked' with the ship in February 1652! TRANSCRIPT: Gentlemen, / Wee came to this place being that which was ap- / pointed for our personal Randesvous on Saturday the / 5th Instant, with a part of the fleete, and are heere / and in sight little [?] and great some 40- sails many / of them (as the comanders informed us) are in great want / of Seamen; We earnestly desire that you will bee / mindfull of us concerning that matter, and realise [?] / How you have already to bee hastened for us, as also / what more may bee had; wee have given the Counsel/ of State an attempt of the whole, and hope y/l [??]/ are members thereof will improove your interest/ how to further the service what you may; you can=/ noy but bee sensible of our condition, that if if the shipps/ behinde and men bee not hastened, we may bee put either to loose the first opportunity of wind and / weather to get into the other Channell, or also bee / forced to goe before wee are in such a capacity as you / could wish for the Action and Service which may pro- / bably bee expected; you know your Promises to us, / and of what concernement the hastening of the ships and men is, As likewise the Burthen that at present / lyes upon us, and therefore wee shall say noe [?] more/ but lay thinges before you, & leave it to yo. considera= / tion; Assuring you wee shall endeavour to [custos 'answer'] [Verso:] Answer the Trust [??] in us, to manifest our / Selves to bee/ Your affectionate freinds and Servants. Rob. Blake R I Deane/ From aboard the Triumph/ in the Swinn./ Feb: 8th, 1652., ' Post scriptum: 'This day [r.ceivd?] Captaine Cubet Command.r of the Tulip/ Aboard who informeth us that his shipp is very leaky/ And haveing [?] examined the Carpenter hee informeth/ us that betweene the Master of Attendance and Master / Shipwright shee was hastened off the wayes [?] at Dobtford/ [?] the [?] rann out at [??], which might/ have beene mended in one Tyde. Wee hope that you/ will make enquiry after such miscarriages, for/ wee are like to loose the use of this Shipp by this neglect, / and and able honest man according to information / into the Bargaine.'

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