The Dutch and English navies sailed the seas watching the movements of each other's flags, and minding the welfare of their merchant marine. Bickerings were frequent, but in May, 1652, off Dover, Tromp brought the right to salute to a crisis. The nations were then at peace, when the Dutch fleet bore down in strength upon the English without lowering their colours. As soon as Tromp was within musket-shot the English Admiral gave orders to fire at his flag. At the third shot Tromp answered by a broadside. In such way, through an episode regarding a flag, the first Dutch War began.[52] Although the Parliament had become alive to the value of a navy, yet the unpreparedness of the previous years now told its tale, for when the season of 1652 had closed, the Dutch had swept the English flag from the Narrow Seas, and Tromp is traditionally reported to have triumphantly carried a broom at his masthead as a sign of his complete success. [52] Hannay: "Short History of the Royal Navy." [Illustration: 22. WHIP-LASH PENNANT, BRITISH NAVY.] Tromp's glory was of but short duration, for the Roundhead dragoon, Blake, nicknamed "The cavalryman at sea," soon clipped his wings. In return for the compliment of the previous year, Blake, after his victory, ran up a pennant on his mast, long and narrow like a whiplash, to show that he had in his turn driven the Dutchman off the seas; and the whiplash masthead pennants, with the St. George cross in the white ground at the head (22), borne on all His Majesty's ships in commission, serve as reminders of the story of this exploit to the present day.[53] [53] These masthead pennants, with the St. George cross at the head, are worn on all His Majesty's ships in commission. They vary in length from 9 to 60 feet, and in width 2-1/2 inches to 4 inches, and are worn as a sign of command both night and day. Peace followed in 1654. In this treaty of peace the Dutch agreed that: "The ships of the Dutch--as well in ships of war as others--meeting any of the ships of war of the English Commonwealth in the British Seas, shall strike their flags and lower their topsail in such manner as hath ever been at any time heretofore practised under any form of government." Thus had the old sea supremacy of the nation of England, claimed by King John, been again acknowledged; but on this occasion it was for the first time accorded to England by the terms of a formal treaty.