Three Amsterdam ships named Hollandia, from 1683 to 1734

Ron van Maanen lists information about three Amsterdam ships named Hollandia that were in service during the period of 1683 until 1734. There was a Hollandia built in 1683 that was wrecked in 1698. This ship was apparently built to replace the Hollandia, built in 1665, that was lost in 1683. The 1683 Hollandia had dimensions of 156ft x 40ft x 15ft and carried 72-74 guns. Another Hollandia was built in 1702 and served until 1726, when sold and was broken up. This Hollandia had dimensions of 161ft x 42-1/4ft x 16ft. The ship also carried from 72 to 74 guns. This was followed by another Hollandia built in 1725 by Gerbrand Slegt. This Hollandia served until 1734 when it was sold into the merchant service. The 1725 Hollandia had dimensions of 165ft x 46ft x 17-1/2ft. Sources:

1. Ron van Maanen, unpublished manuscript "Dutch Warships 1600-1800", undated but circa 1992

From the papers of Dr. Simon Hart

I have the papers of Dr. Simon Hart, from the Gemeentearchief Amsterdam in PDF form. Some of the most interesting pages are those from an Amsterdam notary, Jan Volckertszoon Oli. For the hired ship Jupiter, there is a contract and an inventory. The contracts often give the dimensions of ships, usually with the dimensions spelled out in words, rather than as numeric digits. The inventories, where they exist, are easier for me to read. The inventory for the Jupiter dates from October 1652 and gives the dimensions: 130ft x 30ft x 14ft, with a height between decks of 7ft. There is a list of guns carried, as well: 4-12pdr, 10-8pdr, 12-6pdr, and 2-4pdr guns. The Jupiter served in the Mediterranean Sea.

The fluit Judith from 1658

The fluit Judith was one of the transports that carried troops and supplies to Copenhagen after the Battle of the Sound. Six fluits accompanied the Dutch fleet, and the troops and supplies helped save Copenhagen, which was besieged by the Swedes in 1658. In Dr. Simon Hart's papers, in a document from 15 September 1658, there is information about the Judith:

The fluit Judith

Dimensions: 128ft x 26-1/2ft x 12-1/2ft x 6ft

20 guns: 8-6pdr, 8-4pdr, and 4-2pdr

The document number is very light, but appears to be number 1187 from the PDF file 883-472, from Dr. Simon Hart's papers from the Gemeentearchief Amsterdam (the Municipal Archives of Amsterdam). Sadly, the PDF files are very large--too large for email.

If there was just one Sint Matheeus, that simplifies things while raising new questions

If there was only one Amsterdam Directors' ship named Sint Matheeus in service from March 1652 until June 1653, that simplies things, in some respects. That explains why we have not seen another ship mentioned with dimensions. It also explains why there were not simultaneous entries in lists for "Cornelis Naeuoogh" and "Cornelis Laurensz" in May 1653. It also explains why we did not see the ship of Cornelis Naeuoogh continuing in service after June 1653. There was just one ship, perhaps commanded by Cornelis Laurensz Naeuoogh (or whatever spelling is correct) and that ship was captured by the English as the Battle of the Gabbard. Somehow, yet to be explained to me is why Cornelis Naeuoogh did not end up as an English prisoner. Another question is which dimensions, the smaller of 140ft x 34ft x 15ft x 7-1/3ft or the larger of 144ft x 36ft x 15ft x 7ft is correct? I will see if my method of estimating Dutch dimensions from English dimensions gives us any guidance:

English Dimensions:

Length on the keel:         108ft
Beam outside the planking:   32ft
Depth of hold:               15ft

Estimated Dutch Dimensions:    

Length from stem to sternpost: 143.64ft
Beam inside of the planking:    36.16ft
Hold:                           16.96ft

I am not sure why the hold dimensions is far off, but my system indicates that the larger dimensions seem more plausible for the ship that was captured by the English.

Carl Stapel's list for May to June 1653 has Joost Bulter's ship

I am processing lists for my comprehensive Dutch ship document, and I started on Carl Stapel's list from 20 June 1653, which lists ships from 8 May until 20 June 1653, including ships lost at the Battle of the Gabbard. Carl lists Joost Bulter's ship as the Stadt en Ommelanden, which is what I would have expected. Ron van Maanen says that the armament varied between 28 and 38 guns, as a list from Carl from April 1653 gives the armament as 38 guns.

Joost Bulter's ship at the Battle of the Gabbard in June 1653

One ongoing mystery is Joost Bulter's ship that was sunk at the Battle of the Gabbard. Haagsma's article, Friesland's Zeewezen, in the 1895 edition of De Vrije Fries (available through Google Book Search), says that Joost Bulter's ship was the 42 gun ship Kameel. We know from a variety of sources that Joost Bulter's ship from the summer of 1652 up to the Three Days' Battle (the Battle of Portland) from 28 February to 2 March 1653 was the Stad Groningen en Ommelanden (also called the Stad en Landen). The First Dutch War, Vol.V calls the ship the "Town and Country" (presumably, Stad en Lande). Aitzema just calls the ship "of the Stad en Lande". The biography of Richard Deane calls the ship the Kameel (42 guns). No document from 1653, however, surfaced with the name Kameel, a ship with 42 guns. There are even conflicting reports about whether the ship was a Groningen Directors' ship or a ship of the Admiralty of Friesland. Hopefully, something will eventually appear.

Two ships name Zeeridder

Ron van Maanen has information about two Zeeland ships named Zeeridder. The first was the frigate built in 1640 at Veere by Jan Keijser. This Zeeridder, also called Meerminne, was last mentioned in 1655. This ship had dimensions of 116ft x 27ft x 11ft, carried 26 guns, and had a crew of about 70 men. Her first captain in 1640 was named Bastiaen Thijssen. The second ship was built in 1653 and had dimensions of 116ft x 28ft x 11-1/2ft, with a height between decks of 6-1/2ft. The second ship carrried between 28 and 36 guns, at diferent dates and had a crew that varied between 75 and 186 men. The small ship must have been very crowded with 186 men! The second Zeeridder was last mentioned in 1667. Sources:

1. Ron van Maanen, unpublished manuscript "ZEELAND", undated

The Rotterdam ship Eendracht, built in 1666

The ship Eendracht was built in Rotterdam by Jan Salmonsz van den Tempel in 1666. The Eendracht was a large ship with dimensions 160ft x 42-1/2ft x 16ft. The height between decks was 7-1/2ft. The Eendracht served as Aert Jansz van Nes's flagship up through the end of the Third Anglo-Dutch War. From 1675 to 1676, the Eendracht was Michiel De Ruyter's flagship in the Mediterranean Sea. He was mortally wounded in the Battle of Etna (or Agosta) on 22 April 1676. His opponent, Abraham Duquesne stopped fighting upon hearing of De Ruyter's wound and withdrew. The Eendracht was in service until 1690. The Eendracht's armament varied over time:

19 May 1666:  14-24pdr, 26-18pdr, 12-12pdr, 16-6pdr, and 8-4pdr guns
24 Feb 1672:  14-24pdr, 12-18pdr, 24-12pdr, 6-6pdr, and 14-4pdr guns

Sources:

1. Ron van Maanen, unpublished manuscript "Dutch Warships 1600-1800", undated, but circa 1992
2. Wikipedia page on the Battle of Agosta (English)

I am still curious about a listing from Ron van Maanen for a jacht Brak

Ron van Maanen has a separate listing for a jacht named Brak, the same as the jacht built in 1649. This vessel is only listed in 1653, and has somewhat different dimensions and a captain who is unfamiliar to me. I have assumed that it was a variant listing for the jacht Brak, built in 1649, but I could be wrong:

The jacht Brak, (1 April 1653) kapitein Dirck Pieterssen Berthiens

Dimensions: 115ft x 25ft x 9ft, with a height between decks of 6ft

18 guns:
5 April 1653: 4-8pdr, 12-4pdr, and 2-3pdr guns

Crew: 70-90 men

Sources:

1. Ron van Maanen, unpublished manuscript "Dutch Warships 1600-1800", undated but circa 1992

What ships went over to the Royalists in 1648?

The question was raised as to which English ships went over to the Royalists in 1648. William Laird Clowes, in Vol.II of The Royal Navy, a History, on a note on page 80. In June 1648, William Batten took a squadron of ships and declared for the Royalist side. In October 1647, Colonel Thomas Rainborough had been appointed command the Parliamentarian winter guard. When Col. Rainborough tried to board the Constant Reformation in March 1648, he was refused entry. Col. Rainborough had complained of his treatment, but the parliament reappointed William Batten to command the fleet. The sailors in the fleet were generally hoping to make an arrangement with King Charles. In June, William Batten took 11 ships from the Thames and sailed across to Holland. The list of ships included:

1. Swallow, 36 guns 3rd Rate
2. Constant Reformation, 46 guns 2nd Rate
3. Convertine, 42 guns 2nd Rate
4. Antelope, 36 guns 3rd Rate
5. Satisfaction, 26 guns 5th Rate
6. Constant Warwick, 26 guns 4th Rate
7. Blackmoor Lady, 18 guns 5th rate
8. Hind, 13 guns 6th Rate
9. Crescent, 14 guns 6th Rate
10. Roebuck, 10 guns 6th Rate and
11. Pelican, 10 guns 6th Rate

The Truelove, 12 guns (6th Rate) must have been among them, for in November, the ships, Satisfaction, Hind, and Truelove deserted the Royalists and returned to the Parliamentarian side. The Constant Warwick had left the Royalists after arriving and returned to England. Sources:

1. R. C. Anderson, Lists of Men-of-War 1650-1700: Part I English Ships 1649-1702, 1966
2. William Laird Clowes, The Royal Navy: A History from the Earliest Times to the Present, Vol.II, 1898
3. J. R. Powell, The Navy in the English Civil War, 1962

An early 1700's Dutch ship Huis te Neck

Ron van Maanen has information about the Noorderkwartieir ship Huis te Neck was built in 1709. The Huis te Neck was built at Hoorn, although the exact date could hav been either 1709 or 1710, as there are apparently conflicting references. The Huis te Neck was finally discarded in 1740. Ron has the details, the exact figures vary according to the date of the source:

The ship Huis te Neck

Length:    140ft
Beam:       38ft or perhaps 40ft in many sources
Hold:       15-1/2ft or perhaps 16ft in many sources

50 to 54 guns
Crew: 280 men

Sources:

1. Ron van Maanen, unpublished manuscript "Dutch Warships 1600-1800", undated but circa 1992

So where did the 1644 date come from for the supposed 120ft long Achilles?

Vreugdenhil had listed a ship named Achilles with a 120ft length, built in 1644. From everything I have seen, this was actually the same ship named Achilles, commanded by Dirk Schey in the First Anglo-Dutch War, with dimensions of 131ft x 29ft x 13ft, with a height between decks of 7ft. What has convinced me of that is that Ron van Maanen has a listing for the 120ft ship with dimensions of 120ft x 29ft x 13ft, from a list dated 15 July 1655. The 131ft ship and the 120ft ship listing have more than that in common. The 131ft ship is said to have carried between 28 and 40 guns. The 40 is mentioned by Vreugdenhil, but I cannot account for the number. The 120ft ship is said to carry 28 guns. The crew of the 131ft ship is between 90 and 120 men, as is the crew for the 120ft ship. Neither ship was mentioned after 1655. Sources:

1. Ron van Maanen, unpublished manuscript "Dutch Warships 1600-1800", undated, but circa 1992
2. A. Vreugdenhil, Ships of the United Netherlands 1648-1702, 1938

Dutch ships built in 1693 seem to have been lightly armed

Ron van Maanen has data about the Noorderkwartier ship Alkmaar, built at Hoorn in 1693. The Alkmaar was built to the 15 February 1680 establishment for 70 gun ships. The dimensions of the Alkmaar were 156ft x 41ft x 15ft, with a height between decks of 7-1/2ft. The amazing thing to me is that the lower tier was all 18pdrs. The armament was 26-18pdr, 24-12pdr, 16-6pdr, and 4-4pdr guns. The Alkmaar was in service until 1712. Sources:

1. Ron van Maanen, unpublished manuscript "Dutch Warships 1600-1800", undated, but circa 1992

Dutch warships in the First Anglo-Dutch Wars with 8-18pdr guns

The Dutch flagship Brederode was the most heavily armed of the Dutch ships in the First Anglo-Dutch War. There was a group of ships that were pretty heavily armed, as well. They carried 8-18pdr guns, along with more of smaller shot weights. Pieter Florissen's flagship, the Monnikendam, although just a 120ft ship, had 8-18pdr guns, along with other that brought the armament up to as many as 36 guns. Michiel De Ruyter's flagship for much of the last half of the war, the Lam, also had 8-18pdr guns. For a brief period in April 1653, De Ruyter used the Middelburg Directors' ship Gekroonde Liefde (36 guns) as his flagship. That ship too carried 8-18pdr guns, along with others. One odd ship, only 117ft x 27ft x 11ft, that had a large complement of 18pdr guns, according to the Staet van Oorlog te Water for the year 1654 was the Rotterdam, commanded by Jan Aertsz Verhaeff. I have seen another document that shows that they might have actually been 16pdrs. Still, if the Rotterdam was only 116ft long and had 18-18pdr guns, they must have been very light pieces and would have had to have been fired with light charges. There was very little space for gun recoil on a 27ft beam. This all seems very odd, and is a mystery to me.

The Zevenwolden in 1653

Ron van Maanen has the dimensions for Frederick Stellingwerff's ship, the Zevenwolden (Sevenwolden): 122ft x 28-1/2ft x 11-1/4ft, with a height between decks of 7ft. According to Witte de With's journal, in July 1653, the Zevenwolden carried 34 guns and had a crew of 133 men. The Zevenwolden was sunk at the Battle of Scheveningen. Sources:

1. Ron van Maanen, unpublished manuscript "Dutch Warships 1600-1800", undated, but circa 1992
2. Witte de With, journals from 1652 to 1658, Archive E8812 from the Riksarkivet, Stockholm

The Zevenwolden in 1653

Ron van Maanen has the dimensions for Frederick Stellingwerff's ship, the Zevenwolden (Sevenwolden): 122ft x 28-1/2ft x 11-1/4ft, with a height between decks of 7ft. According to Witte de With's journal, in July 1653, the Zevenwolden carried 34 guns and had a crew of 133 men. The Zevenwolden was sunk at the Battle of Scheveningen. Sources:

1. Ron van Maanen, unpublished manuscript "Dutch Warships 1600-1800", undated, but circa 1992
2. Witte de With, journals from 1652 to 1658, Archive E8812 from the Riksarkivet, Stockholm

English Captain: Anthony Joyne

Anthony Joyne served in the Commonwealth navy. In 1653, he commanded the Portuguese prize Convertine. He sailed from Portsmouth on 30 March 1653, in William Penn's squadron. The Convertine carried 44 guns and had a crew of 220 men. After the Restoration, the Convertine and her peers were classified as 4th Rates, but in the First Dutch War, they were small 3rd Rates. The actual date that Anthony Joyne took command of the Convertine is uncertain. Very likely, he commanded the Convertine in the Three Days Battle (the Battle of Portland). The published list for the Battle of the Gabbard shows the Convertine, with Anthony Joyne in command, assigned to William Goodsen's Rear Division in the Blue Squadron. He very likely also fought in the Battle of Scheveningen. He was still in command of the Convertine on 13 September 1653. By 27 December, 1653, John Hayward commanded the Convertine. Sources:

1. R. C. Anderson, "English Fleet-Lists in the First Dutch War," The Mariner's Mirror, Vol.XXIV No.4, October 1938
2. C. T. Atkinson, Ed., The First Dutch War, Vol.IV, 1910
3. C. T. Atkinson, Ed., The First Dutch War, Vol.V, 1912
4. C. T. Atkinson, Ed., The First Dutch War, Vol. VI, 1930

English Captain: Francis Barham

Francis Barham served in the Commonwealth navy. He commanded the hired ship Hannibal (44 guns) in 1652. He was succeeded in command by William Haddock. He was in Andrew Ball's squadron that was sent to the Sound in September 1652. He fought in the Battle of Dungeness, where he again commanded the Hannibal. He seems to have been removed from command, as were many of the hired ship captains, following the battle. The younger William Haddock commanded the Hannibal from the Battle of the Gabbard, and later. Sources:

1. R. C. Anderson, "English Fleet-Lists in the First Dutch War," The Mariner's Mirror, Vol.XXIV No.4, October 1938
2. R. C. Anderson, List of English Naval Captains 1642-1660, 1964

The Svenska Flottans Historia

I have a few copies from the Svenska Flottans Historia, of which the University of Minnesota has a copy. I was interested because of my interest in the 17th Century naval wars in the Baltic. In particular, I am interested in everything to do with the Battle of the Sound in 1658. The entire three volume set, published in 1942, is very pricey. I see prices in the range from $360 to $840. The book has ship and gun data, and photographs of old guns and carriages. The book has tables with gun data for various dates, including 1658:

                 Brass guns                                Iron guns
Ship             30pr 24pr 18pr 14pr 12pr 10pr 8pr 6pr 3pr 18pr 14pr 8pr 6pr 3pr
Kronan                24         4   26            14   6
Viktoria          2   26             24            16   4
Mars                   6        12    8             4   4   2    2        4
Apollo                 4         8    2             6   2        6        4    

Some speculation about hte Stad Medemblick

Pieter Schellinger commanded the Noorderkwartier ship Stad Medemblick. This was one of the 36 ships of 1651, a cruiser that was activated when war with England seemed likely. As the Stad Medemblick seems to have been built as a warship, the likelihood is that the ship was built to the one of the existing charters. The Stad Medemblick started the war with 26 guns and by June 1653 carried 32 guns. The 120ft charter ships had dimensions of 120ft x 27ft x 11ft with a height between decks of 6-1/2ft. The 116ft charter had dimensions of 116ft x 26-1/2ft x 10ft with a height between decks of 6-1/4ft. If the Stad Medemblick carried 32 guns in 1653, then the 120ft length would seem to be correct. We know some armaments for similar ships:

Medemblick              28 guns: 10-12pdr, 8-8pdr, 6-4pdr, and 2-3pdr
Casteel van Medemblick  28 guns: 10-12pdr, 8-8pdr, 2-6pdr, 6-4pdr, and 2-3pdr

Hoorn                   32 guns: 6-12pdr, 20-8pdr, 2-6pdr, and 2-4pdr
Enkhuizen               28 guns: 4-12pdr, 14-8pdr, 6-6pdr, and 4-4pdr
Wapen van Monnikendam   28 guns: 4-12pdr, 14-8pdr, 6-6pdr, and 4-4pdr

There were apparently two different arming schemes for Noorderkwartier ships. One was more like the Amsterdam Directors' scheme, with 10-12pdr and 8-8pdr guns, with some smaller. The other schweme had either 4 or 6 12pdr with many more 8pdr guns. 14-8pdr was apparently a typical number. Sources:

1. Staet van Oorlog te Water for the year 1654, 1654

The Amsterdam ship Prinses Aemilia,built in 1699

Ron van Maanen's list has the details of the Amsterdam ship Prinses Aemilia, built at Amsterdam in 1699. The Prinses Aemilia was built by Hendrick Cardinaal. The Prinses Aemilia was broken up in 1727 and the remains were sold in 1728. This is what Ron has:

The ship Prinses Aemilia

Length from stem to sternpost: 148ft
Beam:                           39-3/4ft
Hold:                           15-3/4ft

60 guns: 24-18pdr, 24-12pdr, 12-6pdr

Crew: 305 to 325 men

Sources:

1. Ron van Maanen, unpublished manuscript "Dutch Warships 1600-1800", undated, but circa 1992

The Rotterdam fishery protection ship Sint Paul

Ron van Maanen has the usual information about the Rotterdam ship Sint Paul (or Paulus) that was captured by the English on 22 July 1652. The ship was put into service by the English, as a 5th Rate. I wondered if we might be able to recognize the Dutch dimensions in the 7 March 1652 document from the Admiralty of Rotterdam. I have a system for converting English to Dutch measurement that will give some idea of the correct dimensions:

St. Paul

Dimensions:
English:  Length on the keel=84ft, Beam=25-1/2ft, Depth=9ft-8in
Estimated Dutch in Amsterdam feet: Length=112ft Beam=28ft-9in Hold: 11ft
Estimated Dutch in Maas feet: 102ft-8in x 26-1/2ft x 10ft

Candidates in Maas feet:
a fishery ship: 106ft x 25ft x 9ft-9in with 30-34 guns
a fishery ship: 100ft x 24ft x 9ft-9in with 28 guns
a fishery ship: 103ft-8in x 22-1/2ft x 10ft-10in with 28 guns
a fishery ship: 92ft x 22ft x 10ft-7in

I would think that the ship could be the 106ft-long ship, and that my estimation method is underestimating the rake of the ship (the ratio between the waterline length and the keel length). This length would give a factor of 1.3766, which is not excessive. I have written about this issue, previously. The calculations are still valid.

The Rotterdam ship Dordrecht, built in 1655

There were apparently more than one ship built by the Admiralty of the Maze to some rather odd dimensions. At a time when the charter for 40 gun ships was nominally 130ft, the Admiralty of the Maze built ships that were approximately 128ft, in Amsterdam feet. One of these ships was built at Rotterdam in 1655. This was the Dordrecht, or Wapen van Dordrecht. This is a ship for which we have dimensions in both Maas feet and Amsterdam feet:

The ship Dordrecht, built at Rotterdam in 1655

Dimensions:
Maas feet: 117ft x 29ft-3in x 12-1/2ft
Amsterdam feet: 127ft-7in x 32ft-5in x 13ft-3in, height between decks 7ft-4in

42 guns (16 March 1665): 10-18pdr, 18-12pdr, 10-8pdr, 4-6pdr

Crew: 160 to 208 men, at different dates

Sources:

1. Ron van Maanen, unpublished manuscript "Dutch Warships 1600-1800", undated but circa 1992

Laurens Degelcamp

The way that Laurens Degelcamp is described in the list dated 28 November 1652 is "Laurens Hermansz". His full name must have been Laurens Hermanszoon Degelcamp. He commanded the ship Groeninger Nicolaes (24 guns). That is the ship that Ron van Maanen calls the "Groeningen Nicholaes". He has the interesting data, which I have annotated further:

The ship Groeninger Nicolaes, kapitein Laurens Hermansz Degelcamp

Length from stem to sternpost: 106ft
Beam:                           25-1/2ft
Hold:                           11ft
Height between decks:            5-3/4ft

24 guns:
4-8pdr, 8-6pdr, 10-4pdr, 2-2pdr

Sources:

1. lijst van schepen in dienst van de Staet der Vereenigde Nederlanden, 28 November 1652
2. Ron van Maanen, unpublished manuscript "Dutch Warships 1600-1800", undated but circa 1992

The Dutch fleet organization on 9 June 1652

In addition to the summary of ships in the Dutch navy on 9 June 1652, there is a summary of the fleet organization:

Ships under the flag of Lt-Admiraal Tromp

Admiralties:
Rotterdam       12
Amsterdam       20
Zeeland         13
Noorderkwartier 10
Friesland        6

Directors:
Rotterdam        4
Amsterdam        8
Zeeland          6
Noorderkwartier  6
Friesland        2
Stad en Landen   1

Total           88 ships

In the Mediterranean Sea:

Rotterdam        1
Amsterdam       21
Zeeland          3
Noorderkwartier  4
Friesland        0

Total           28 ships

In the Sound

Amsterdam               2
Directors of Amsterdam  2

Total                   4 ships

The Reinier Nooms painting of the Aemilia at the Battle of the Downs

The National Maritime Museum, at Greenwich, has a nice search facility for paintings, by painter. They have a pretty large image of the Aemilia at the Battle of the Downs in 1639. I have a book with a larger reproduction, and I believe that shows that the name "Aemilia" (or some spelling of that name) is written on the stern. My question is: do Dutch warships have their name on the stern, or not? I have thought that they only had the illustration on the tafferel, and that was all.

The list of Noorderkwartier ship commanders on 6 December 1652

One document that I have, dated 6 December 1652, has an interesting list of ship commanders for the Admirlaty of the Noorderkwartier. I will annotate this with ship names, as I can. This is right before the Battle of Dungeness:

Admiralty ships of the Noorderkwartier
Commander                          Ship                  Guns
Schout-bij-Nacht Pieter Florissen  Monnikendam           36 guns
kapitein Cornelis Pietersz Taenman Prins Maurits         28 guns
kapitein Arent Dirckszoon          Wapen van Monnikendam 24 guns

Commander                          Ship                   Guns
kapitein Thijs Thijmensz Peereboom Peereboom              24 guns
commandeur Johannes Bourgoigne     Tobias                 30 guns
kapitein Jan Heck                  Eenhoorn               28 guns
kapitein Volckert Schram            
kapitein Teunis Vechterszoon       Schel                  24 guns
kapitein Gabriel Theuniszoon       Kasteel van Medemblick 26 guns
kapitein Harman Munnekes            

Of the two unknown ships, one could be Pieter Aldertszoon's ship Hoorn and the other could be Pieter Schellinger's ship Stad Medemblick.

The counter argument about the Kalmar Sleutel

The counter argument that says that the Kalmar Sleutel dimensions are in Maas feet is based on two facts. One is that all Rotterdam ship dimensions from 1652 through 1654, prior to the new construction, were stated in Maas feet. The length of the Kalmar Sleutel, as stated, is quite short at 103ft. If we assume that these feet were Maas feet, the converted dimensions are more plausible: 112ft-4in x 27ft-3in x 12ft, with a height between decks of 6ft-6in. The dimensions in Ron van Maanen's document and in David de Wildt's list were: 103ft x 25ft x 11ft, with a height between decks of 6ft. Sources:

1. Ron van Maanen, unpublished manuscript "Oorlogsschepen" van de admiraliteit van de Maze in de zeventiende en achttiende eeuw, undated
2. David de Wildt, Notitie van de schepen die tegen wordich in lant sijn, 22 February 1652

David de Wildt's entry for the Calmer Sleutel

The Calmer Sleutel was hired by the Admiralty of Rotterdam and served with the fishery protection squadron. The Calmer Sleutel was lost on 22 July 1652. David de Wildt's entry makes me think that the dimensions are in Amsterdam feet: 103ft x 25ft x 11ft, with a height between decks of 6ft. Ron van Maanen says that the crew of the Calmer Sleutel consisted of 90 men. The armament was 8-8pdr, 6-6pdr, and 6-3pdr guns. The modern spelling is Kalmar Sleutel. Sources:

1. Ron van Maanen, unpublished manuscript "Oorlogsschepen" van de admiraliteit van de Maze in de zeventiende en achttiende eeuw, undated
2. David de Wildt, Notitie van de schepen die tegen wordich in lant sijn, 22 February 1652

The Rotterdam ships that were part of the 36 ships of 1651

According to the list of 28 November 1652, Rotterdam supplied six ships that were funded as part of the 36 ships of 1651:

Adm Ship                Guns Commander
R   Brederode           54   luitenant-admiraal Tromp
R   Gelderlant          40   kapitein Michiel Fransz van den Berg
R   Princesse Louise    36   vice-admiraal Witte de With
R   Hollandt            30   kapitein Hendrick de Munnick
R   Prinses Roijalle    36   kapitein Joost van Coulster
R   Wapen van Rotterdam 26   kapitein Jacob van Boshuijsen

The Prinses Roijalle is also called, more properly, the Prinses Roijael Marie. Sources:

1. Lijst van schepen in dienst van de Staedt der Veernichde Nederlanden, 28 November 1652

Carl Stapel says that schipper Coolbrant's fluit was named Blompot

Carl Stapel came to my rescue with the name of schipper Geduyrt Coolbrant's ammunition fluit. The fluit was named Blompot or Flowerpot. About the only thing left to learn are the guns carried and perhaps, the gunpowder and shot carried, if we can find a reference. In latter 1653, there is a list of the gunpowder and shot on the ammunition carrier Walvis (or Walvisch), so there is hope that we could find that sort of inventory for the Blompot.

Schipper Coolbrant's ammunition fluit

Of the documents that I received last week has information about schipper Coolbrant's ammunition fluit. We have the dimensions, in Maas feet: 91ft x 21ft x 8-1/2ft, with a height between decks of 4ft-8in. If we convert that to Amsterdam feet, the dimensions are: 99ft-3in x 22ft-10in x 9ft-3in, with a height between decks of 5ft-1in. The fluit carried 16 guns. I am having trouble with the name. The name, if it is the name, looks like the "Blomvet". I probably have the name wrong, however. The first letter does not look like a capital "B", but like a lowercase "b". Sources:

1. list of warships of the Admiralty of Rotterdam, dated 7 March 1652

From the 11 May 1652 Zeeland list: the new captains

The first part of the 11 May 1652 Zeeland list was labeled "Old Captains". The second part was the "New Captains":

Adm   Ship             Guns Captain
Z     Hollandia        36   Philips Joosten
Z     Neptunis         25   Jan Pauwelsen
Z     Zeeridder        27   Gillis Janssen
Z     Zeelandia        32   Andries Pietersz den Boer
Z     Vlissingen       32   Cornelis Mangelaer
Z     Zeelandia        32   Jan Naelhout
Z     Salamander       26   Jan Cristoffelsz Duijm

Sources:

1. list dated 11 May 1652
2. list dated 28 November 1652

The hired ship Witte Olifant

The ship Witte Olifant was hired at Livorno for the Admiralty of Amsterdam. The Witte Olifant was commanded by Sijbrant Jansz Mol. There is a famous Van de Velde picture of the Battle of Livorno, from the Rijksmuseum, showing the tafferel artwork for the Witte Olifant. The Witte Olifant is on the lower left of the picture.