Episode 3 of 3

Capture of the convoy and escort to Portsmouth

When
31 December 1779
Where
Portsmouth, England
Part of
Affair of Fielding and Bylandt

Fielding demanded a treaty salute, then took the Dutch convoy as prizes to Portsmouth, followed into port by van Bylandt, who lodged a complaint.

Fielding demanded that the Dutch warships salute the British under the terms of previous Anglo-Dutch treaties, with which van Bylandt complied; Dutch public opinion later held it against him. Fielding's squadron proceeded to take the Dutch convoy as prizes to Portsmouth, followed by van Bylandt's squadron. On arrival, van Bylandt sent a complaint to the Dutch ambassador in Britain, Count van Welderen.

Sources

  1. Affair of Fielding and Bylandt Wikipedia, revision of 2026-06-09

Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.