The fleet totals make the allied result striking. The Dutch fielded 75 warships against 92 allied warships, while both sides had 35 fireships. Reported losses are roughly 1,000 Dutch killed and 2,000 allied killed. Although Texel is often classed as tactically indecisive, the interpretation offered here counts it as a Dutch tactical victory. Fireships remained important because they could break up formations. The allied numerical advantage mattered only if commanders could concentrate several relatively undamaged ships against individual opponents.
Notable Point · 21:18-23:17
Fleet balance and the role of fireships
The allied fleet's 92 warships outnumbered the Dutch 75, yet equal fireship forces and weak coordination limited the value of that advantage.