<Li> Sept 1654--Jan 1666: Forts Lampsinsberg, Beveren, and Bellavista; conquered by British, destroyed by French </Li> <Li> 1667--18 Dec 1672: Nieuw - Vlissingen; destroyed by British </Li> <Li> 1 Sept 1676--6 Dec 1677: Fort Sterreschans; destroyed by French </Li> <P> As a group, the islands are known as the Maagdeneilanden in Dutch . The Dutch established a base on St. Croix (Sint - Kruis) in 1625, the same year that the British did . French Protestants joined the Dutch but conflict with the British colony led to its abandonment before 1650 . The Dutch established a settlement on Tortola (Ter Tholen) before 1640 and later on Anegada, Saint Thomas (Sint - Thomas) and Virgin Gorda . The British took Tortola in 1672 and Anegada and Virgin Gorda in 1680 . </P>

Role of dutch in settling the new world