Inthe year 1663 Captain, afterwards Vice-Admiral, Sir Robert Holmes, during a timeof profound peace, attacked and captured the Dutch possessions on the West Coast of Africa. Sailing across the Atlantic, he reduced the Dutch settlement of New Amsterdam, and rechristened it, in honour of the Duke of York, New York. On his return to England he was denounced by the Dutch as a freebooter, and thrown into prison, but on the outbreak of hostilities was released andrestored to his rank, in which he long gave his country the benefit of his eminent abilities.