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DERRICK

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Originally appearing in Volume V08, Page 75 of the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica.
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DERRICK , a sort of See also:

crane (q.v.); the name is derived from that of a famous See also:early 17th-See also:century See also:Tyburn hangman, and was originally applied as a synonym. DERRING-DO, valour, chivalrous conduct, or " desperate courage," as it is defined by See also:Sir See also:Walter See also:Scott. The word in its See also:present accepted substantival See also:form is a misconstruction of the verbal substantive dorryng or durring, daring, and do or See also:don, the present See also:infinitive of " do," the phrase dorryng do thus meaning " daring to do." It is used by See also:Chaucer in Troylus, and by See also:Lydgate in the See also:Chronicles of See also:Troy. See also:Spenser in the Shepherd's See also:Calendar first adapted derring-do as a substantive meaning " manhood and chevalrie," and this use was revived by Scott, through whom it came into See also:vogue with writers of See also:romance. DE RUYTER, See also:MICHAEL ADRIANZOON (1607-1676), Dutch See also:naval officer, was See also:born at See also:Flushing on the 24th of See also:March 1607. He began his seafaring See also:life at the See also:age of eleven as a See also:cabin boy, and in 1636 was entrusted by the merchants of Flushing with the command of a cruiser against the See also:French pirates. • In 164o he entered the service of the States, and, being appointed See also:rear-See also:admiral of a See also:fleet fitted out to assist See also:Portugal against See also:Spain, specially distinguished himself at Cape St See also:Vincent, on the 3rd of See also:November 1641. In the following See also:year he See also:left the service of the States, and, until the outbreak of See also:war with See also:England in 1652, held command of a See also:merchant See also:vessel. In 1653 a See also:squadron of seventy vessels was despatched against the See also:English, under the command of Admiral See also:Tromp. Ruyter, who accompanied the admiral in this expedition, seconded him with See also:great skill and bravery in the three battles which were fought with the English. He was after-wards stationed in the Mediterranean, where he captured several See also:Turkish vessels. In 1659 he received a See also:commission to join the See also:king of See also:Denmark in his war with the Swedes.

As a See also:

reward of his services, the king of Denmark ennobled him and gave him a See also:pension. In 1661 he grounded a vessel belonging to See also:Tunis, released See also:forty See also:Christian slaves, made a treaty with the Tunisians, and reduced the Algerine corsairs to submission. From his achievements on the See also:west See also:coast of See also:Africa he was recalled in 1665-See also:DERVISH 75 to take command of a large fleet which had been organized against England, and in May of the following year, after a See also:long contest off the See also:North See also:Foreland, he compelled the English to take See also:refuge in the See also:Thames. On the 7th of See also:June 1672 he fought a See also:drawn See also:battle with the combined fleets of England and See also:France, in Southwold or See also:Sole See also:Bay, and after the fight he convoyed safely See also:home a fleet of merchantmen. His valour was displayed to equal See also:advantage in several engagements with the French and English in the following year. In 1676 he was despatched to the assistance of Spain against France in the Mediterranean, and, receiving a mortal See also:wound in the battle on the 21st of See also:April off See also:Messina, died on the 29th at See also:Syracuse. A patent by the king of Spain, investing him with the dignity of See also:duke, did not reach the fleet till after his See also:death. His See also:body was carried to See also:Amsterdam, where a magnificent See also:monument to his memory was erected by command of the states-See also:general. See Life of De Ruyter by Brandt (Amsterdam, 1687), and by See also:Klopp (2nd ed., See also:Hanover, 1858).

End of Article: DERRICK

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