English: HM Ship 'Tiger' Taking the 'Schakerloo' in the Harbour of Cadiz, 23 February 1674

A panoramic view looking north across the Bay of Cadiz towards Rota. In the foreground to the right and centre the city's batteries are shown crowded with people. A windmill is prominently sited on the left. The painting commemorates an action which took place between the English and French and the Dutch after the end of the Third Dutch War, 1672-74, but before the news of its cessation reached Cadiz. The two ships - the Dutch 'Schakerloo', 28 guns, and the British 'Tiger', 46 guns, under the command of Thomas Harman - anchored in the bay within hours of each other on 22 February. It is probable that the Dutch captain, Passchier de Witte, had come into the neutral port to avoid meeting the heavily armed British ship coming from Tangier. Coincidentally, the Dutch flagship of Admiral Cornelis Evertsen was also in port being careened (having her hull cleaned of marine growth) and the he advised de Witte to challenge Harman to fight.

At about 9.00 a.m. on 23 February the 'Schakerloo', sailed out of neutral water followed by the 'Tiger'. In the fierce action, the 'Tiger's', superior fire-power meant that the Dutch ship eventually surrendered and de Witte was wounded. The English losses were very light, although Harman was slightly wounded and did not enjoy his triumph for long. When four Dutch men-of-war arrived in Cadiz soon after his return there, they forced him to release his prisoners or be sunk, even though he was in a neutral port.

The action in the painting between the 'Tiger', and 'Schakerloo', is shown in four different stages. In the first, the two ships are seen in the centre of the painting running before the wind to the left, the Dutchman leading. Next, in the extreme left, they are shown in close action, in port-quarter view with the 'Tiger', to starboard. Beyond and to the right is the third phase, in which the 'Schakerloo', is shown at a disadvantage: she is still running to the left but the 'Tiger', is bow-on across her bows and raking her with gunfire. Finally, further off and to the right, the ships appear again with sails aback, in starboard-broadside view, the 'Schakerloo', having struck and flying the red ensign over her Dutch one.

This picture is one of a pair of large canvases apparently commissioned by Harman from Schellinks, who was in England in the 1660s. Daniel Schellinks (1627-1701) was the brother of the more famous Willem Schellinks (1623 -78), was a Dutch draughtsman and painter famous for panoramic compositions.

HMS 'Tiger' Taking the 'Schakerloo' in the Harbour of Cadiz, 23 February 1674