The Lord Protector with the Council held a special day of Fasting and Thanksgiving on the day before yesterday, and I am assured that about forty first class ships will be ready for sea within a month, among which will be the large frigate the Naschij and the ship Resolution, each carrying over eighty guns and five hundred men. I am informed that General Blake will go in the first, and Vice-Admiral Lawson in the second ;

Major Bourne is to be employed as Rear-Admiral of the aforesaid fleet. I am, moreover,

' Michael Adriaensz, Duke de Rujter, Lieutenant-Admiral-General of the United Provinces, was born at Flushing, in 160*7. He entered the navy at the early age of 11, and from being a common sailor rose to the head of his profession. Whilst only captain he defended'Dublin against the Irish ; made several voyages to the West Indies and Brazil, and being Rear-Admiral, waa sent in lfi41, to aid Portugal against Spain, where he acquitted himself with much distinction. He next defeated the Barbary pirates at Salee, and in 1653, commanded under Van Tromp, the Duteh fleet, with which he three times engaged the English. In 1655, he proceeded to the Mediterranean, where he captured and hung the famous renegade, Amand de Dias. In 1659, he served against Sweden in the war between that power and Denmark, and so highly did the latter State appreciate De Ruyter's services, that it conferred a pension on him, and ennobled himself and all his family. In 1661, he captured a Tunis vessel, and liberated eighty Christian Slaves whom he found on board ; so high did he stand in 1665, that he was elected Lieutenant-Admiral, and in 1666, after having gained a great victory over the English, was promoted to be Lieutenant- Admiral- General, the highest rank he could reach, the Governor of Holland having been ex-officio Admrial of the Dutch Navy.