an . ▁Bla ke ▁had ▁only ▁ 4 2 ▁war ships ▁when ▁he ▁was ▁attacked ▁and ▁decis ively ▁defeated ▁by ▁ 8 8 ▁Dutch ▁ships ▁under ▁T rom p ▁on ▁ 9 ▁December ▁ 1 6 5 2 ▁in ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁D ungen ess , ▁losing ▁control ▁of ▁the ▁English ▁Channel ▁to ▁the ▁Dutch . ▁Meanwhile , ▁the ▁ships ▁sent ▁away ▁had ▁also ▁been ▁defeated ▁in ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Leg horn . ▁ ▁Following ▁the ▁n avy ' s ▁poor ▁performance ▁at ▁D ungen ess , ▁Bla ke ▁demanded ▁that ▁the ▁L ords ▁Commission ers ▁of ▁the ▁Admir alty ▁en act ▁major ▁re forms . ▁ ▁They ▁comp lied ▁by , ▁among ▁other ▁things , ▁en act ing ▁Articles ▁of ▁War ▁to ▁rein force ▁the ▁authority ▁of ▁an ▁adm iral ▁over ▁his ▁capt ains . ▁Bla ke ▁then ▁sa iled ▁with ▁around ▁ 7 5 ▁ships ▁to ▁dis rupt ▁Channel ▁sh ipping , ▁eng aging ▁T rom p ▁with ▁a ▁similar ▁s ized ▁fleet ▁in ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Port land ▁from ▁ 2 8 ▁February ▁to ▁ 2 ▁March ▁ 1 6 5 3 ▁when ▁T rom p ▁escaped ▁with ▁his ▁con voy ▁under ▁cover ▁of ▁darkness . ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁the ▁G abb ard ▁on ▁ 1 2 ▁and ▁ 1 3 ▁June ▁ 1 6 5 3 ▁Bla ke ▁rein for ced ▁the ▁ships ▁of ▁Gener als ▁Richard ▁De ane ▁and ▁George ▁Mon ck ▁and ▁decis ively ▁defeated ▁the ▁Dutch ▁fleet , ▁s inking ▁or ▁capt uring ▁