<Dt> Caribbean & North America </Dt> <Ul> <Li> Nevis </Li> <Li> Martinique </Li> <Li> Cayenne </Li> <Li> Zeelandia </Li> </Ul> <P> The Dutch Raid on the Medway during the Second Anglo - Dutch War in June 1667, called the Journey to Chatham or Tocht naar Chatham by the Dutch (incorrectly called the Battle of Medway by Medway Council during 350th anniversary' celebrations' of the event), was a successful and daring attack conducted by the Dutch navy deep upriver targeting the largest English naval battleships at a time when most were virtually unmanned and unarmed, laid up due to lack of funding in the fleet anchorages off Chatham Dockyard and Gillingham in the county of Kent . At the time, the fortress of Upnor Castle and a barrier chain called the "Gillingham Line" were supposed to protect the mothballed naval ships anchored off Chatham, the main English naval base in southeastern Stuart England . </P> <P> The Dutch, under nominal command of Lieutenant - Admiral Michiel de Ruyter, over several days bombarded and then captured the town of Sheerness, sailed up the River Thames to Gravesend, then risking the perils of its treacherous shallows, sandbars and shoals, sailed up the River Medway to Chatham and Gillingham, where they engaged fortifications with cannon fire, burned three capital ships and ten lesser naval vessels, and captured and towed away two ships of the line: HMS Unity and the pride and normal flagship of the English fleet, HMS Royal Charles . </P>

Why were the navy ships moored on the river medway