England’s population is about four times as large as that of the Dutch Republic, but as this population is dominated by poor peasants, the only source of ready cash are the cities.

The Dutch urban population exceeds that of England in both proportional and absolute terms.

The outbreak of war had been followed ominously by the Great Plague and the Great Fire of London, hitting the only major urban center of the country.

These events, occurring in such close succession, have crippled England, as the English fleet had suffered from cash shortages even before these calamities.

The navy does not pay its sailors with money, but with "tickets", or debt certificates.

Charles lacks an effective means of enforcing taxation.

The only way to finance the war, in effect, is to capture Dutch trade fleets.