AUTHORITIES.—Burchett, _Memoirs of Transactions at Sea 1688-1697_; Lediard, _Naval History of England_; Colomb, _Naval Warfare_; Troude, _Batailles navales de la France_; Delarbre, _Tourville et la Marine de son temps_; Toudouze, _Bataille de la Hougue_; Lambert de Sainte-Croix, _Marine de France 1689-1792_; _Code des Armées Navales_; Crisenoy, _L’Inscription maritime_; Calmon-Maison, _Châteaurenault_; Martin Leake, _Life of Sir John Leake_; De Jonge, _Geschiedenis van het Nederlandsche Zeewesen_. The Revolution of 1688 drew a line across the history of England, and marked the termination of the great struggle between King and Parliament. From that time forward it was settled beyond all dispute that when the two differed the last word was not to be with the king. Our sovereigns have ruled by a Parliamentary title, and the authority which conferred the Crown must always be superior in fact, if not in theory, to the Crown itself. Within Parliament the dominating body must necessarily be the House of Commons, which has the command of the purse. After 1688 the Crown, or the aristocracy, could only govern by securing the support, by means of pocket boroughs, by persuasion or corruption, of a majority of the Lower House. The navy, like the rest of the nation, was deeply affected by the change. From this time forward we hear little of the personal influence of the king. It was to the House of Commons that the navy appealed. Officers who wished to push their fortunes no longer thought of securing the goodwill of the sovereign or of a favourite. They became members of the House of Commons and earned promotion by serving a Parliamentary party. In one way the change was for the manifest good of the navy. It now had a master who might be unwilling to pay handsomely, but who both would and could pay whatever he chose to promise with a regularity far beyond the power of the king. In the years following the Revolution there were indeed complaints of wages in arrear and of necessities neglected. But this was only during the first period of strife. The increasing wealth of the nation supplied Parliament with ample means, and after a time the money was always regularly forthcoming. In another way the change was not so good. A great deal of party spirit was introduced into the navy, and there were times when Whig and Tory animosities interfered with the loyal discharge of duty.