The narrow waters between south-east England and mainland Europe suffer ferocious storms, like this one hitting the harbour mouth at Boulogne. Photograph: Philippe Huguen/AFP/Getty Images

Storms can drive a sailing ship on to the rocks — or worse, as the Dutch Admiral Maarten Tromp discovered 360 years ago. He was in command of a fleet of 41 ships moored between Dunkirk and Nieuwport when a storm blew up from the north-east on 18 May. Cables started breaking, so the fleet weighed anchor and took shelter near Dover, where an English naval force was already stationed.

Although relations between England and Holland were strained in 1652, the two fleets were peaceable enough at first. As the weather improved the Dutch prepared to leave with a merchant convoy which had also taken shelter. English commander Admiral Blake fired a cannon, the usual signal that the Dutch should lower their flags and salute, as they were in English waters.

Two signals were ignored; the third cannon shot struck the Dutch flagship, the Brederode. Accounts differ as to what happened next, but it turned into a full-scale naval action. Although outnumbered, the heavier and better-armed English ships prevailed in the battle of Goodwin Sands. Two Dutch warships were damaged and captured while the rest sailed off.

This was the start of the First Anglo-Dutch War. Without that skirmish, diplomacy might have succeeded and 22 years of intermittent warfare could have been averted. And as a result of the subsequent conflict the Dutch colony of New Amsterdam became New York.