Some took the view at the time, that it was a premeditated attack by the Dutch fleet; others held the view that the conflict that started the war that was to last for two years was due to a misunderstanding by the two admirals.

Admiral Tromp disclaimed that his intentions were aggressive; his sole object was to ask for the release of some Dutch merchantmen that he thought had been captured but had not. On his approach to Blake, he took in all his topsails, lowering them to the middle of the mast. He also declared that he had in fact sent a man to strike his flag but, as the pennant below had first to be hauled down, there was some delay, upon which the James fired two shots and then a broadside, to which he then replied. Admiral Blake’s version was that when the Dutch were within musket–shot, and they had lowered their flag, and as his duty being to insist that they do, he thrice fired a single shot to remind them of their manners. After the third round Tromp had given him a broadside and hung out a red pennant as a signal for his whole fleet to engage, as result of which Blake opened fire.

After the fist exchange of broadsides, a stiff encounter ensued between the two flagships in which the rest of the fleets gradually joined. So began a five-hour channel battle as the fleet fought it out in what was to become the Battle of the Goodwin Sands. It was claimed that Tromp, sought to break off the fight when Nehemiah Bourne on board the Andrew, came down from the Downs to windward late in the afternoon, fell on his rear and partly cut it off from the main body. With darkness, falling Tromp retreated to the French Coast. The losses were heavy, onboard Blake’s’ flagship the James, her mizzenmast had been shot away and her sails and rigging blown to shreds, sixteen had been killed, and twenty-five wounded. Of Tromps’ fleet, one vessel became an English prize, while another that had been captured was so severely mauled that she was left derelict, as unlikely to reach port. Two of his Dutch captains were among the prisoners while fifty of their seamen were killed and a hundred wounded. The material result was thus in favour of Blake- for he had attacked superior numbers and remained in possession of the battlefield. From the tactical aspect the action redounded to his credit, for by bearing away towards the coast on the starboard tack he kept the greater part of Tromp’s fleet out of the battle for a considerable time, giving Bourne the chance of getting up and assailing their rear. At nightfall, the English anchored about twelve miles off Dungeness and on the following morning went in search of the enemy. Blake was anxious to purse the argument, but although the Dutch were sighted, no further clash took place.

Traditionally England claimed sovereignty over the waters and seas surrounding Britain, under the Navigational Act of October 1651 the Parliament of the Commonwealth of England led by Oliver Cromwell required that all foreign fleets in the North Sea or in the Channel to dip their flag in salute to the English Navy. The Anglo-Dutch War began proper in July 1652 with an English campaign against the Dutch East Indies. Admiral Tromp returned to the Channel with 88 ships and attacked the 42 ships of Admiral Blake, and decisively defeated him at the Battle of Dungeness. The first Anglo-Dutch War was eventually was ended with the Treaty of Westminster signed on 5th April 1652, the Dutch acknowledging the English claim to a salute for the flag ‘in the British Seas’.