The original 24 ships hired by the Amsterdam Directors

Very good information exists about the original 24 ships hired by the Amsterdam Directors in early 1652. Sadly, little of the information appears in published sources. Largely, the information comes from documents referenced by Jan Glete in his book, Navies and Nations. He was kind enough to give me copies of his notes from when he was doing the original research as the Nationaal Archief in The Hague. Ron van Maanen had given him the original lead. One document gives the ship names, the captains, lieutenants, and "schrijvers" (writers) for the ship hired by the Amsterdam Directors. Other documents give the details of dimensions and gun lists. In some cases, they also give crew size. Gradually, over time, captains were replaced and ships disappeared. In come cases, they are known war losses. By early 1653, the Amsterdam Directors were hiring more ships, presumable as replacements for war losses, as there is no indication that the number of ships funded was increased (although it is always possible). Most of the details of the ships' service is still a mystery. Where ships were definitely lost, such as those lost at the Battle of Portland ("the Three Days' Battle"), we often have more details about their loss. The Sint Mathees listed here is not the ship captured by the English at the Battle of the Gabbard. That was another, larger ship commanded by Cornelis Laurenszoon. This is a summary of those 24 ships:

Rank      Commander                        Adm  Guns Crew Ship name                           
kapitein  Jan Maijckers                    A-Dir 28  100  Alexander           
kapitein  Dirck Pater                      A-Dir 28  105  Blauwe Arend        
kapitein  Matthijs (Matheeus) Corneliszoon A-Dir 34  120  Sint Salvador       
kapitein  Jacob Cornelisz Swart            A-Dir 28  110  Vliegende Faam      
kapitein  Abraham van Kampen               A-Dir 28  100  Arke Troijane       
kapitein  Cornelis Janszoon Poort          A-Dir 34  125  Kroon Imperial
kapitein  Cornelis Jansz Brouwer           A-Dir 28  105  Valck               
kapitein  Maerten de Graef                 A-Dir 28  110  Prinses Roijael
kapitein  Gerrit van Lummen                A-Dir 34  125  Neptunis            
kapitein  Cornelis Naeuoogh                A-Dir 34  125  Sint Mattheus       
kapitein  Nicolaes de With                 A-Dir 34  115  Prins Maurits       
kapitein  Bartholomeus Rietbeeck           A-Dir 28  105  Rozeboom            
kapitein  Bastiaen Bardoel                 A-Dir 28  110  Engel Gabriel       
kapitein  Cornelis van Houten              A-Dir 28  110  Witte Lam           
kapitein  Hector Bardesius                 A-Dir 34  120  Gideon van Sardam                                                                 
kapitein  Stoffel Juriaenszoon             A-Dir 28  105  Sint Francisco      
kapitein  Claes Bastiaensz van Jaersveldt  A-Dir 34  120  David en Goliad
kapitein  Jacob Syvertsen Spanheym         A-Dir 34  120  Elias               
kapitein  Hendrick de Raedt                A-Dir 28  130  Zwarte Leeuw        
kapitein  Sipke Fockes                     A-Dir 28   96  Sint Maria          
kapitein  Bruijn van Seelst                A-Dir 38  135  Groote Liefde       
kapitein  Lambert Pieterszoon              A-Dir 34  130  Nassouw             
kapitein  Frederick de Coninck             A-Dir 35  135  Groote Vergulde Fortuijn
kapitein  Frederick Bogaert                A-Dir 28  115  Engel Michiel