Harpertzoon Tromp, of fifty-four guns, Lieutenant-Commander Jan Valkenburg, the Castor, of forty-four guns, Captain Jacob Claris, the Braave, of forty-two guns, Lieutenant-Commander Jacob Zoetemans, the Sirene, of twenty-six guns, Lieutenant-Commander Christiaan de Cerf, the Bellona, of twenty-four guns, Lieutenant-Commander Gustaaf Adolf de Falck, the Havik, of eighteen guns, Lieutenant-Commander Pieter Bessemer, and the Vrouw Maria, an Indiaman armed with sixteen guns, to be used as a victualler, commanded by Lieutenant Hermanus Barbier.
On board this fleet were embarked altogether, including soldiers, nineteen hundred and seventy-two men; but they were hastily got together, and a very large proportion of them were at heart more attached to the Orange than to the patriot faction. The ships were generally well equipped, though as it was difficult to obtain a sufficient number of cannon, they were twelve short of their full complement of heavy guns.
As commander in chief, with the title of rear admiral, an old sea captain named Engelbertus Lucas was selected. His only qualifications for the post were that he had once made a voyage to India and that in 1795 he had been a member of a commission appointed to inspect and report upon the condition of the ships of war and everything connected with them. But he was a zealous partisan of the patriot cause, and on that account was placed in a position which needed skill and judgment such as he did not possess.
Intelligence of the surrender of the colony to the British forces reached the Netherlands before this fleet sailed, but no fresh instructions were given to Admiral Lucas, who was left to act entirely upon his own discretion. It was indeed understood that he would be joined near the Cape by a French squadron consisting of La Forte, of fifty guns, La Vertu and La Seine, each of forty guns, and La Regenerée, of thirty-six guns, which
