Maritime record TQ 77 NW 1330 - 1667 wreck of Dutch fireship

'Whitehall, July 24: On Saturday and Sunday last severall ships came in to the Dutch fleet riding before Harwich, supposed to be Victuallers. The 22. they all weighed from the Sledway, and stood into the Gunfleet, sayling for the Buoy in the Nore; and between 3 and 4 that afternoon were discovered plying with all the sayl they were able for the Thames. Only 17 of them (of the lesser sort) were observed standing from the Fleet towards the Downs, who were afterwards followed by three larger ships. The 23, between 6 and 7 in the Morning, the SUCCESS and CYGNET discovering the Enemy off the Mouth of the River, retired; and by their frequent discharges, gave notice of their approach. About 9 of the clock about 24 or 25 sail of them began to appear in Tilbury-Hope, eight of them advancing as far as Hull-Haven.

'About 11 or 12 the SUCCESS, being then with 18 other of his Majestie's Men of War and Fireships in the Hope, exchanged several guns with the headmost of the Enemy; when their first squadron of 8 ships coming to an anchor within shot, a sharp fight began between them . . . A little after a ship of theirs fell on fire: but her men got off: 'tis supposed that she had so much courted the wind, that she was so far engaged on the shore, that she could not get off, and therefore chose rather to set fire to her self.' (1)

'Betimes this morning comes a letter from the Clerke of the Cheque at Gravesend to me, to tell me that the Dutch fleet did come all into the Hope yesterday noon, and held a fight with our ships from thence till seven at night; that they had burned twelve fire ships, and we took one of their's, and burned five of our fire-ships. But then rising and going to Sir W. Batten, he tells me that we have burned one of their men-of-war, and another of theirs is blown up, but how true this is, I know not. But these fellows are mighty bold, and have had the fortune of the wind easterly this time . . . before we got to Gravesend they [the guns] ceased, and it grew darkish, and so I landed only (and the flood being come) and went up to the Ship and discoursed with the landlord of the house, who undeceives me in what I heard this morning about the Dutch having lost two men-of-war, for it is not so, but several of their fire-ships.' (2)

According to Samuel Pepys, the wind was easterly. This suggests that the easterly wind had driven her on shore, which, at the Lower Hope Point, suggests that if she was in the van of the Dutch fleet (also suggested by 'courting the wind',) she may have run ashore on Mucking Flats on the northern bank of the Thames instead of rounding the bend in the river at that point. This is, however, a conjectural interpretation.

Date of Loss Qualifier: Actual date of loss

<1> 1765-, London Gazette, Monday, 22 July, to Thursday, 25 July, 1667, No.176 (Newspaper). SKE56185.

<2> Pepys S, 1667, The Diary of Samuel Pepys, Wednesday, 24 July, 1667 (Bibliographic reference). SKE56186.