Topic summary
Naval combat
Extracted from the Wikipedia article Naval warfare.
Early modern
From the middle of the 17th century competition between the expanding English and Dutch commercial fleets came to a head in the Anglo-Dutch Wars, the first wars to be conducted entirely at sea. Very few ships were sunk in naval combat during the Anglo-Dutch wars, as it was difficult to hit ships below the water level; the water surface deflected cannonballs, and the few holes produced could be patched quickly. Naval cannonades damaged men and sails more than they sunk ships. Three wars were fought between England and the Dutch Republic during the 17th century, though the Glorious Revolution put an end to further Anglo-Dutch conflicts for almost a century.