''Beschermer'' (''Protector'') was a Dutch 56-gun

fourth-rate In 1603 all English warships with a compliment of fewer than 160 men were known as 'small ships'. In 1625/26 to establish pay rates for officers a six tier naval ship rating system was introduced.Winfield 2009 These small ships were divided i ...

ship of the line A ship of the line was a type of naval warship constructed during the Age of Sail from the 17th century to the mid-19th century. The ship of the line was designed for the naval tactic known as the line of battle, which depended on the two colu ...

of the

Admiralty of the Noorderkwartier The Admiralty of the Noorderkwartier (Dutch, 'Northern Quarter'), also known as the Admiralty of West Friesland, was one of the five admiralties of the Dutch Republic, made up of West Friesland, a region in the north of the province of Holland. ...

(one of five provincial navies of the

United Provinces of the Netherlands The United Provinces of the Netherlands, also known as the (Seven) United Provinces, officially as the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands (Dutch: ''Republiek der Zeven Verenigde Nederlanden''), and commonly referred to in historiography ...

). The order to construct the ship was given by the

. In 1795 she became part of the

Batavian Navy The Batavian navy ( nl, Bataafsche marine) was the navy of the Batavian Republic. A continuation of the ''Staatse vloot'' (Dutch States fleet) of the Dutch Republic. Though thoroughly reorganized after the Batavian Revolution of 1795, the navy e ...

, following the French invasion of the Netherlands. On 11 October 1797 ''Beschermer'' took part in the

Battle of Camperdown The Battle of Camperdown (known in Dutch as the ''Zeeslag bij Kamperduin'') was a major naval action fought on 11 October 1797, between the British North Sea Fleet under Admiral Adam Duncan and a Batavian Navy (Dutch) fleet under Vice-Admiral ...

under Captain

Dooitze Eelkes Hinxt Dooitze Eelkes Hinxt ( – 20 October 1797) was a Dutch navy officer. He was the son of Eelke Tabes Hinxt, a merchant captain from the city of Dokkum. Hinxt died on the ship of war , due to the wounds he received during the battle of Camperdown. ...

. The ship escaped the battle after Hinxt was severely wounded. On 30 August 1799 ''Beschermer'', under Captain Eilbrach, was surrendered to the British during the Vlieter Incident. The

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against F ...

then took her on in various subsidiary roles. In 1801 ''Beschermer'' served as a

guard ship A guard ship is a warship assigned as a stationary guard in a port or harbour, as opposed to a coastal patrol boat, which serves its protective role at sea. Royal Navy In the Royal Navy of the eighteenth century, peacetime guard ships were usual ...

in the Swin. She was fitted as a

storeship Combat stores ships, or storeships, were originally a designation given to ships in the Age of Sail and immediately afterward that navies used to stow supplies and other goods for naval purposes. Today, the United States Navy and the Royal Nav ...

in 1805. ''Beschermer'' was lent to the East India Dock Company for use as a

hulk The Hulk is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in the debut issue of ''The Incredible Hulk (comic book), The Incredible Hulk' ...

at Blackwall in 1806 until she was sold for breaking up in September 1838. ''Beschermer'' was eventually broken up in 1838.

Citations

References

* Ships of the line of the Dutch Republic Ships of the line of the Batavian Republic Ships of the line of the Royal Navy Ships built in the Netherlands 1784 ships Maritime incidents in 1797 {{Netherlands-hist-stub