Kettle War

Infobox Military Conflict
conflict=Kettle War
partof=


caption=The disputed Scheldt delta
date=8th October 1784
place=River Scheldt, off Saeftinghe
casus=Access to the Scheldt for imperial trading vessels
territory=None
result=Dutch victory
combatant1=Holy Roman Empire, with British diplomatic support
combatant2=Dutch Republic
combatant3=
commander1=
commander2=
commander3=
strength1=three ships (including the warship "Le Louis")
strength2="De Dolfijn"
strength3=
casualties1=None
casualties2=None
casualties3=
notes=The Kettle War (Dutch - Keteloorlog or Marmietenoorlog) is the nickname given to a short war or incident between the troops of the Republic of the Seven Netherlands and the Holy Roman Empire that began on 8th October 1784. It was named the Kettle War since the only shot fired during it hit a soup kettle.

Background

After the Dutch Revolt, the northern Netherlands formed their own republic. The southern Netherlands remained with Spain, later going over to the Holy Roman Empire. Since 1585, the Northern Netherlands had closed off the Scheldt, so that the harbours of Antwerp and Ghent could not be reached by trade ships, and this remained so after the Revolt. This gave an enormous impulse to the economy of the Northern Netherlands (namely Amsterdam), but the southern cities were dislodged from their important trading position.

Since Europe's 'Diplomatic Revolution' of 1756, Austria, and therefore also the Austrian Netherlands, had been in alliance with France. Prussia, formerly France's ally, entered into alliance with Britain. The change, sensational at the time, made nonsense of all the strategic assumptions and plans, current since 1713, based on the premisses that the south Netherlands would serve as a barrier between the Republic and France and that the Republic's security depended on close ties with Austria and Britain. It was a shift which undoubtedly made it ever more attractive for the Dutch to remain neutral in any conflicts between both Britain and France, and Austria and Prussia. [J.I. Israel, The Dutch Republic, Its Rise, Greatness and Fall (1477-1806) (1995), p. 1094. ]

Course

In 1781 Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor demanded the final dismantling of the Barrier system, and in 1784, he demanded the return of territory in the Overmaas and States Flanders, as well as Dutch evacuation of Maastricht and the reopening of the Scheldt. This happened shortly after the Treaty of Paris. The Holy Roman Empire was supported by England, who felt that the Republic had stayed too neutral during the American War of Independence. France supported the Dutch. Although the Belgian Army was not equipped very well, with a lack on artillery and supply, the emperor decided to go in war. [Allmayer-Beck, J.C (1980) Das Heerwesen under Joseph II., p. 43. In: Ōsterreich zur Zeit Kaiser Josephs II. Mitregent Kaiserin Maria Theresias, Kaiser und Landesfūrst. Niederōsterreicheische Landesausstellung. Stift Melk.] Convinced that the Netherlands would not dare react, Joseph II had three ships (including the merchant ship "Le Louis" with the emperor's flag) sail from Antwerp for the Scheldt.

On October the 9th 1784, (in a letter to Benjamin Franklin) the war seemed inevitable. That day the "Dolfijn" was sent out, and after only one shot, that hit a kettle, "Le Louis" surrendered. [Habermehl, N. (2000) Joan Cornelis van der Hoop (1742 - 1825) Marinebestuurder voor stadhouder Willem V en koning Willem I, p. 91.] On the the 30th of October the emperor declared the war. On November 18th, the States of Holland reacted: the rhine count of Salm was asked to form a small army. The patriots used the incident for political propaganda and organized more Exercitiegenootschappen all over the country. The Admiralty of Friesland offered two new warships, but they were unable to leave the port of Harlingen and dismantled. [Habermehl, N. (2000) Joan Cornelis van der Hoop (1742 - 1825) Marinebestuurder voor stadhouder Willem V en koning Willem I, p. 92.]

Results

As a consequence of this short skirmish, and under the mediation of France, negotiations were reopened between the countries. This led in 1785 to the Treaty of Fontainebleau. It was decided that the Scheldt would remain closed to shipping, but that the Southern Netherlands would be compensated for this by the Republic. At a rough estimate the Republic paid 2 million guilder (according to other sources 10 million guilder). [Gutka, K. (1980) Die Aussenpolitiek Ōsterreich zwischen 1740 und 1790, p. 74. In: Ōsterreich zur Zeit Kaiser Josephs II. Mitregent Kaiserin Maria Theresias, Kaiser und Landesfūrst. Niederōsterreicheische Landesausstellung. Stift Melk.] Much later on, definitive agreements were made between Belgium and the Netherlands about accessing the Scheldt. The war contributed to the decline and fall of Duke Louis Ernest of Brunswick-Lüneburg, advisor to the Dutch stadholder but accused of favouring their imperial enemy due to familial connections to Joseph.

References