34
WINTER OPERATIONS
have inflicted an unpleasant defeat with consequences for the summer of 1666.
From 1664 through to early 1666, of the five Dutch admiralties, the Zeeland
admiralty possessed warships that were the least suited to modern fleet battle they
possessed more frigates than capital ships. The smaller size of their ships suited
them ideally for winter operations, but more importantly all or almost all of
Zeeland naval assets, including their capital ships, were readied and used in winter
- actually exceeding their agreed commitments on winter deployments. This is in
marked contrast to the perception that the Zeelanders 'were always late'.
Furthermore, the winter fleets were predominantly a cooperative Zeeland-
Amsterdam affair - with little (1664-1665) or no contribution (1665-1666)
from the other admiralties; they were dominated by the Zeelanders numerically,
based in Zeeland, and commanded and led by Zeelanders. Amsterdam's interest in,
and Rotterdam's opposition (in 1665/6, at least) to the projects suggests that some
re-examination of the simple Holland-Zeeland rivalry is required.
The Wielings seems to have been the only option as a winter fleet anchorage,
due to ice conditions at the Texel, the Vlie, and Goeree: ice at the alternative
anchorages - and the routes to them from the admiralty bases - hampered the
Dutch more than has been appreciated. Yet despite the enormous obstacles, large
naval deployments were planned and carried out, and warfare prosecuted during
the winter seasons: all-season fighting thus pre-dated the design and introduction
of large battleships better suited to that task in the early eighteenth century; indeed
the British had designed for such capability before. Fundamentally, it seems more
likely that all-season naval warfare was a natural and early consequence of the
replacement of the temporary and improvised by permanent naval structures, as
well as the simultaneous rapid growth of naval power.
Plate 4. Silver imprint of the Zeeland Admiralty seal, 1666. Zeeuws Archief, verzameling zegels
KZGW.
