Abstract
On 3 March 1677, French Vice‐Admiral Jean d'Estrées launched an assault on an inferior Dutch squadron, commanded by Jacob Binckes, anchored in Rockley Bay, Tobago. The French attack was defeated, but a total of 12 warships on both sides were sunk. The Rockley Bay Research Project, supported by the Institute of Nautical Archaeology and the University of Connecticut began an archaeological investigation of the battle in 2012. At least one of the Dutch men‐of‐war lost in the battle has been found, TRB‐5. The article is a preliminary report on the work that has been carried out so far.
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Acknowledgements
RBRP would like to thank the Tobago House of Assembly, the Chief Secretary, the Division of Tourism, Tobago Historical Trust, Dr Levis Guy‐Obiakor for their support. A huge thank you to Mr John De Lapa and Mr Jason Paterniti. RBRP owes a debt of gratitude to US Ambassador Welters, Todd Jungenberg and the US Embassy. The author is very grateful for the support of the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and particularly to Her Excellency the Ambassador, Mrs Lucita Moenir Alam. Thanks to the Auerbach family, Fred and Emma Hocker, ‘Wabba’ Milne, Mr D. Nicholson, Ms S. Orr.