Battle of Surat (1704)
The Battle of Surat was fought on 2 February 1704, off Surat, India, by a Portuguese squadron of one ship of the line and seven frigates, commanded by Jorge de Sousa de Meneses, and an Omani squadron of nine ships of the line and frigates. Background In September 1703, the Omani sacked and pillaged Daman during seven days. When the news of the sack reached Goa, the Viceroy of India, Caetano de Melo e Castro, quickly organized a squadron of four frigates, commanded by captain of sea and war Jorge de Sousa de Meneses. However, shortly after the departure of the Portuguese squadron, news reached Goa that the Omani had received reinforcements and their squadron was now composed by nine ships of the line and frigates, accompanied by a certain number of terradas, whose garrison was composed by 3,000 soldiers. Fearing that the four frigates of Sousa de Meneses wouldn't be sufficient to face a so powerful enemy, the Viceroy decided to reinforce the squadron with two frigates, that sailed to the north commanded by D. António de Meneses. Not happy, yet, the Viceroy still reinforced, in 30 December, the squadron with the 60-gun ship of the line Nossa Senhora