How insufficient the measures taken after the outbreak of the war were was proved all too swiftly. Heavy losses which were sustained in the month of June in the narrow seas. The first victims of this unlucky political situation were 6 merchant ships from the Caribbean escorted by Captain van den Kerckhoff in the ship Nijmegen. They were unexpectedly attacked by three English warships on 10 June between Dover and Calais and the Nijmegen was sunk. In an encounter a week later between two ships under Jan Evertsen and a Directors' ship of the Maze and two strong parliaments ships, the Dutch "men and mouse" were sunk. This is based on my translation from Dr. Elias. Source:

1. Johan E. Elias, Schetsen uit de geschiedenis van ons zeewezen, Vol.II, 1923.