The Dutch East India Company supplied several of the fleet's largest vessels and could almost function as another admiralty. Prince William and De Ruyter's flagship came from the VOC's Middelburg chamber and carried unusually heavy batteries by Dutch standards. Their merchant construction made them broad and slow, however, complicating command and manoeuvre in restricted waters. With only about ten Dutch ships mounting forty or more guns, VOC support revealed both the fleet's dependence on commercial shipping and its sharp deficit against Commonwealth heavy ships.
Notable Point · 1:49:49-1:56:08
VOC ships filled a dangerous Dutch gap
Large Dutch East India Company vessels supplied some of the Dutch fleet's strongest ships, revealing how few heavily armed warships the admiralties could field.