Scheveningen breaks the blockade at ruinous cost

Scheveningen brought roughly 120 Commonwealth warships against 127 Dutch vessels in an enormous attempt to break the blockade imposed after the Gabbard. Maarten Tromp was killed early by what is treated as a lucky musket shot rather than precision sniping, and his death was concealed to protect morale. Dutch losses may have ranged from fourteen to thirty ships depending on whether wrecked vessels that reached port are counted. The Commonwealth lost only two ships but suffered enough damage to abandon the blockade, leaving both sides exhausted and ready to negotiate rather than continue an escalating cycle of fleet expansion and destruction.