Home

Honour - Dover 1652


Date - 19-May
Type - Fleet or Squadron Actions
Conflict - First Dutch War 1652-54

 
Description By 1652 both the English and Dutch were rapidly expanding their maritime power. With the Dutch fishing and merchant fleets much larger than the English, but with the English having the strategic advantage of constricting the Dutch fleets by dominating the Straits of Dover. The only other exit for North Sea and Baltic powers being the dangerous route north bound around Scotland into the Atlantic.

The English had made the provocative demand that on meeting an English warship in waters claimed by England, all non-English ships "honour the English flag" by lowering their topsails & dipping their flags.

The Dutch were especially reluctant to comply with this demand and relations were tense.

A Dutch fleet met an English fleet off Dover, and while the Dutch began lowering their topsails, by the the time they came within hailing distance had not dipped their flags.

The English ships under General-at-Sea Blake opened fire and a general action began between the 25 English ships and 40 Dutch ships.

Two Dutch ships struck their colours and were taken over by prize crews. But one was later recovered by the Dutch when the prize crew abandoned ship.

England won the battle and within the month, full scale war had broken out between England and the Dutch.

 
 
HM Ships
Adventure  Andrew  Assurance Centurion  Fairfax 
Garland  Greyhound  Happy Entrance (Entrance)  James  Martin 
Mermaid  Portsmouth  Reuben  Ruby  Sapphire 
Seven Brothers  Speaker  Star Triumph  Victory 
Worcester         
         
 
This page last edited - 31 January, 2013.

Copyright © Ian M King, except where otherwise indicated.