130 DUTCH AND ENGLISH ON THE HUDSON
this, we can easily understand why the governor
of each colony, though instructed to seize and hold
every foot of land which could be occupied, was
«
advised not to antagonize the other friendly
nations and thus weaken the alliance against
the common enemy. As the power of Spain de-
clined, however, and the estimate of the value of
the American colonies increased, the friction in
the New World became more acute and the
instructions from the home governments grew
imperative.
Affairs then came to an open rupture between
New Netherland and New Sweden. In 1651 Gov-
ernor Stuyvesant inaugurated a more aggressive
policy against the Swedes by building Fort Casimir
near what is now New Castle, Delaware, not far
from the Swedish fort. Three years later Fort
Casimir fell into the hands of the Swedes. The
Dutch Government now commanded Stuyvesant
to drive the Swedes from the river or compel their
submission. As a result the Director and his fleet
sailed into the Delaware in September, 1655, and
captured one fort after another, till Rysing, the
last of the Swedish governors, was completely
defeated. Though the colonists were promised
security in possession of their lands, the power of