Dutch and English ships in the First Anglo-Dutch War

The Dutch were severely outmatched during the First Anglo-Dutch War. The most potent warship was the Brederode (54 guns), equivalent to an English 3rd Rate. The English had two 1st Rates, something like 9 2nd Rates, and three new 3rd Rates at the start of the war. They also had some old Jacobean and Carolean "middling ships" which were approximately 3rd Rates. They also completed several more 3rd Rates during the war. The English had a large number of new 4th rates, each partially or wholly armed on the lower tier with culverins (18pdr). The Dutch had a hard time fighting the 1st Rates under any circumstances, and could only fight the 2nd Rates with a multiple ships. The biggest ships that the Dutch had were Indiamen, but they were unwieldy and poor sailors. The largest of them, the Prins Willem (44 guns), performed so poorly at the Kentish Knock, that she was turned back over to her owners. the Vogelstruis (40 guns) was a smaller ship, and fought at the Battle of Plymouth and the Battle of Portland, where she was lost. In late 1652, Tromp wanted to build a new fleet of larger ships, but this was vetoed by Amsterdam (against their long-term interests), and two 30-ship groups were proposed to be built. 38 of them would be only 130ft long (Amsterdam feet of 283mm). There was an effort to acquire larger ships during the war. Friesland acquired the Groenewold (132ft long), which apparently was renamed Groningen. They also acquired the Zevenwolden (38 guns), which was lost at the Battle of Scheveningen. The new ship Kameel (42 guns) was lost at the Battle of the Gabbard. Two large Genoese ships were taken over and used during the last months of the war: the Huis te Zwieten (60 guns) and the Huis te Kruiningen (54 guns). They were used by Witte de With and Michiel De Ruyter as their flagships for the remainder of the war.