erranean, with
one or two half-privateering expeditions to the West Indies. The
United Provinces for their part, being freed from danger on the side
of the sea, and not having, except for a short time, any serious idea
of operating against the French coast, diminished their own fleets.
The war became more and more continental, and drew in more and more
the other powers of Europe. Gradually the German States cast their lot
with Austria, and on May 28, 1674, the Diet proclaimed war against
France. The great work of French policy in the last generations was
undone, Austria had resumed her supremacy in Germany, and Holland had
not been destroyed. On the Baltic, Denmark, seeing Sweden inclining
toward France, hastened to make common cause with the German Empire,
sending fifteen thousand troops. There remained in Germany only
Bavaria, Hanover, and Wurtemberg faithful still to their French
alliance. The land war had thus drawn in nearly all the powers of
Europe, and, from the nature of the case, the principal theatre of the
conflict was beyond the eastern boundary of France, toward the Rhine,
and in the Spanish Netherlands; but while this was raging, a maritime
episode was introduced by the fact of Denmark and Sweden being engaged
on opposite sides. Of this it will not be necessary to speak, beyond
mentioning that the Dutch sent a squadron under Tromp to join the
Danes, and that the united fleets won a great victory over the Swedes
in 1676, taking from them ten ships. It is therefore evident that the
sea superiority of Holland detracted greatly from Sweden's value as an
ally to Louis XIV.

Another maritime strife arose in the Mediterranean by the revolt of
the Sicilians against the Spanish rule.[59] The help they asked from
France was granted as a diversion against Spain, but the Sicilian
enterprise never became more than a side issue. Its naval interest
springs from bringing Ruyter once more on the scene, and that as the
antagonist of Duquesne, the equal, and by some thought even the
superior, of Tourville, whose name has always stood far above all
others in the French navy of that day.

Messina revolted in July, 1674, and the French king at once took it
under his protection. The Spanish navy throughout seems to have
behaved badly, certainly inefficiently; and early in 1675 the French
were safely established in the city. During the year their naval power
in the Mediterranean was much increased, and Spain, unable to defend