Camperdown had already removed nine Dutch ships of the line, making Story's squadron unusually valuable. Story's squadron included the 74-gun Washington among predominantly smaller ships of the line. Mitchell could draw on twenty-six ships of the line and later confronted Story with seventeen, while the British reserve alone rivaled the Dutch force. Story initially withdrew sensibly, but the Batavian naval minister ordered him back to give battle despite the crushing disparity. Civilian direction turned a prudent operational retreat into an impossible fleet confrontation.
Chapter · 1:32:35-1:41:19
The Den Helder squadron faces overwhelming force
The Dutch squadron included much of the navy's remaining strength, but the British invasion fleet could deploy more ships of the line than Story could hope to fight.