▁opposite ▁tack ▁behind ▁the ▁enemy ▁rear . ▁Sp rag ge ▁understood ▁that ▁if ▁De ▁R uy ter ▁reached ▁the ▁southern ▁edge ▁of ▁the ▁bas in ▁his ▁force ▁would ▁be ▁tra pped ▁between ▁the ▁Dutch ▁centre ▁and ▁rear . ▁He ▁immediately ▁broke ▁formation ▁to ▁tack ▁to ▁the ▁south west ▁also , ▁narrow ly ▁esc aping ▁to ▁the ▁west ▁with ▁his ▁fl ot illa , ▁but ▁leaving ▁the ▁fl ot illas ▁of ▁O ss ore y ▁and ▁K emp th or ne ▁behind ▁with ▁that ▁of ▁de ▁Gran ce y ▁in ▁a ▁slower ▁turn ▁in ▁the ▁same ▁direction . ▁Ban ck ert ▁now ▁un ited ▁his ▁squad ron ▁with ▁the ▁Dutch ▁centre ▁by ▁making ▁a ▁similar ▁but ▁larger ▁turn , ▁sail ing ▁behind ▁De ▁R uy ter . ▁The ▁Dutch ▁supre me ▁commander ▁had ▁thus ▁gained ▁an ▁excellent ▁position : ▁the ▁enemy ▁fleet ▁was ▁now ▁divided ▁in ▁four ▁un co ordin ated ▁parts ▁and ▁he ▁could ▁attack ▁the ▁confused ▁enemy ▁rear ▁with ▁a ▁numerical ▁superior ity ▁having ▁the ▁weather ▁gauge . ▁At ▁that ▁moment ▁he ▁had ▁no ▁knowledge ▁of ▁T rom p ' s ▁situation ▁however ▁and ▁typically ▁decided ▁not ▁to ▁take ▁any ▁unnecessary ▁ris ks ▁but ▁to ▁join ▁T rom p ▁with ▁the ▁remainder ▁of ▁the ▁Dutch ▁fleet ▁instead , ▁saying : ▁" First ▁things ▁first ; ▁it ' s ▁better ▁to ▁help ▁friends ▁than ▁to ▁harm ▁enemies ". ▁He ▁tack ed ▁to ▁the ▁n ortheast , ▁Ban ck ert ▁now ▁in ▁front , ▁towards ▁both ▁v angu ards ▁moving ▁in ▁the ▁opposite ▁direction