One of a series of drawings made by Van de Velde the Elder when he was attached to the Dutch fleet following the action at Bergen on 2 August 1665, early in the second Anglo-Dutch War. This view of the Dutch fleet was probably drawn shortly before the related drawing PAI7682. Both show the fleet under the command of Lieutenant-Admiral Cornelis Tromp conducting a council of war on 5 August 1665. Shortly after, Tromp handed over command of the fleet to Michiel de Ruyter.

In the centre middle distance is a ship in stern view flying a flag and pendant at the main and firing a gun as a signal for a council of war: this is probably Tromp’s flagship ‘Liefde’. On her port bow is the ‘Groot Hollandia’, with a flag at the mizzen and a pendant at the main. Running across her bow is a ship with flag and pendant at the fore. In the foreground are two galjoots, and to the extreme right a despatch vessel in port quarter view.