Discussion devoted mainly to the Anglo-Dutch Wars (at sea), including ships, battles, and persons. Our website, kentishknock.com, is the primary outlet for artwork, research results, and more formal analysis and commentary. Copyright (c) 2003-2007 James C. Bender
Thursday, December 11, 2003
More about the July 1653 List
For Friesland, we can know what two ships were. Number 103, which was captured by the English, was the Westergoo. Number 104, which was sunk, was the Kameel.
The Westergoo was commanded by Tymen Claeszoon, who had assumed command after the death of Joris Pietersz. van den Broucke, in August 1652. The English measured her, so we know those dimensions, and can estimate the Dutch dimensions:
English Dimensions:
Length on the keel: 86 feet
Beam outside the planking: 24 feet-6 inches
Depth in the hold: not known
Dutch Dimensions (in Amsterdam feet):
Length from stem to sternpost: 120 feet
Beam inside the planking: 28 feet
Hold: not known, but estimated at 11 feet-6 inches
The Dutch armament was 28 guns with a crew of 98 men.
The Kameel is something of an enigma. The First Dutch War refers to her as the Stad en Lande. That was because the ship seemed to be funded by Groningen, as a Directors' ship. Willem van de Velde de Oude's drawings indicate that she was called the Kameel. That is how Dr. Elias refers to her, as well, in Schetsen uit de geschiedenis van ons zeewezen, Vol. V. The ship was commanded by Joost Bulter, who died at the Battle of the Gabbard, when the Kameel was sunk. The July 1653 list clearly indicates that the Kameel belonged to the Friesland Admiralty.
By the way, number 105, the Harlingen Directors' ship, was the St. Vincent. Her captain was Adriaan Gerritszoon Cleyntien. The St. Vincent carried 28 guns and had a crew of 100 men. We know that from the 1652 list republished in The First Dutch War, Vol. I.