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Rh and the admiral taken prisoner by the English under Admiral Duncan. De Winter was in a few months liberated by exchange ; and his conduct in the battle was declared by a council of investigation to have nobly main tained the honour of the Dutch flag. He held the post of minister-plenipotentiary to the French republic from 1798 to 1802, when he reassumed the command of the Dutch fleet. He was employed in suppressing the piracies of the Tripolitans, and negotiated a treaty of peace with the Government. He enjoyed the confidence of Louis Bonaparte, king of Holland, and afterwards of the emperor Napoleon I. By the former he was created count of Huessen and made commander-in-chief of his armies by sea and land ; and by the latter he was named grand officer of the Legion of Honour, inspector-general of the coasts of the North Sea, and in 1811 commander of the Texel fleet. De Winter died at Paris, June 2, 1812, and his remains were buried in the Pantheon at the public expense.

 DE WITT, CORNELIUS (1623-1672), brother of the more celebrated John De Witt, was born at Dort in 1623. In 1650 he became burgomaster of his native town, and member of the states of Holland and West Friesland. He was throughout life closely associated with his brother, whose opinions he shared, and whom he supported with great ability and vigour. Of the eight deputies appointed in 1672 to accompany the naval and military commanders, lie was the one selected to go with De Ruyter, and in action he displayed remarkable courage, as he had done under similar circumstances in 1667. Compelled by sick ness to leave the fleet, he found on his return to Dort that the revocation of the Perpetual Edict had been signed by ius fellow magistrates. He was forced in his sick-room to follow their example, but added after his name the initials V.C. (vi coactits). See next article.

 DE WITT, JOHN (1625-1672), an illustrious Dutch statesman, was born at Dort in 1625. He was carefully educated, and early displayed remarkable talents. A work entitled Mementa Linearum Curvarum, published in 1650, is attributed to him. His father was a member of the States General of Holland and West Friesland, and well known as a bitter opponent of the house of Orange, which had gradually acquired almost regal functions. William II., prince of Orange, died in 1650; and as his son, afterwards William III. of England, was an infant, the Republican party easily won predominance. De Witt was made pensionary of Dort, and in that position so distinguished himself by his eloquence, firmness, and sagacity, that in 1652, although only twenty-seven years of age, he became grand pensionary of Holland. He held this position for about twenty years, during which he controlled the policy of the United Provinces. He inherited his father s intense jealousy of the Orange family, and steadily laboured to prevent it from ever again rising to power. When he became grand pensionary the United Provinces were at war with England. He had always disapproved of this conflict, and in 1654 succeeded in bringing about peace, conceding to Cromwell his demands with respect to the honours due to the English flag. The treaty included a secret article providing that no member of the house of Orange should in future be elected stadtholder or grand admiral. De Witt was afterwards accused of having suggested this condition to Cromwell ; but the latter was also opposed to the claims of a family which was nearly allied to the Stuarts. After the restoration of Charles II., who had been exposed to many affronts during his residence in Holland, De Witt cultivated the friendship of France; and in 1661 a treaty was concluded by which that country and the United Provinces granted to each other freedom of commerce in their respective ports, the Dutch guarantee ing to the French the possession of Dunkirk, and the French guaranteeing to the Dutch the right of fishing off the coasts of Great Britain and Ireland. The latter provi sion caused much irritation in England ; and it was increased by the incessant quarrels of English and Dutch merchants on the Guinea Coast, each desiring to have a monopoly in the trade of slaves and gold dust. War was declared in 1665 ; and in a battle off Lowestoft the Dutch fleet was defeated, the remnant taking shelter in the Texel. Antwerp was the only port at which it could be refitted, and the most experienced pilots decided that it was impossible the vessels could be removed thither. De Witt himself, however, with splendid courage, undertook the task, and not only accomplished it, but in a very short time had the fleet once more ready for action. After two more battles, in which the Dutch well sustained their fame for skill and bravery, De Witt entered upon negotiations which resulted in the Peace of Breda in 1667. Meanwhile, by dint of severe labour, he introduced order into the financial system of the country ; and in 1667 the chief object of his life seemed to be attained, for owing to his efforts a Perpetual Edict was passed proclaiming the office of stadtholder for ever abolished. At this time, however, a great danger threatened the Republic. In 1667 Louis XIV. invaded the Spanish Netherlands ; and it was clear that if the war ended in the annexation of that country to France it would be difficult to maintain the independence of the United Provinces. De Witt made secret but rapid preparations for resistance, and appealed to England to support Holland in curbing French ambition. Notwithstanding the prejudices of Charles II., Sir William Temple was sent to propose an alliance between England, Holland, and Sweden. De Witt entered so heartily into this scheme that in the spring of 1668 the Triple Alliance was concluded. Louis XIV. saw that for the time his plans were foiled, and with as good a grace as possible signed the Peace of Aix-la-Chapelle. At heart, however, he bitterly resented the course which the States General, guided by De Witt, had taken, and slowly prepared for revenge. By artful diplomacy England and Sweden were detached from the alliance, and several German princes were persuaded to promise that they would join France in an attack on Holland in order to restore certain towns which, it was pretended, properly belonged to the empire. While Louis was maturing his plans the power of De Witt was being steadily undermined. The Calvinist clergy, who had always been his enemies, excited their congrega tions against him and his party ; and, as the Prince of Orange approached manhood, the people recalled the obliga ; tions of the country to his ancestors, and freely expressed doubts whether his rule would not be preferable to that of nobles and wealthy burgesses. The state of public feeling rendered it impossible for De Witt to make ready for the approaching peril. When, therefore, France, England, and the German allies of France proclaimed war against the United Provinces in 1672, and it was found that no effectual resistance could be offered to their attack, popular indignation turned against the grand pensionary. The Prince of Orange was appointed captain and admiral general ; and De Witt could only secure that a council of eight deputies of the States General should be associated with the military and naval commanders, one to go with De Ruyter, the other seven with Prince William. This plan added to the confusion, and in a few months after the declaration of war a large part of the country was overrun, and the French were within five leagues of Amsterdam. To save themselves the humiliation of surrender, the towns of Holland and Brabant broke the dykes and laid the sur rounding land under water. 