By 1781, during the Fourth Anglo-Dutch War, the fort was no longer in a fit state to be of any use. When some six British privateers arrived in late February 1781, the Council at Essequibo instructed Captain Severyn, the commander of the fort, that if the British sailed towards the colony, he was to fire a blank shot. If that did not cause them to stop, he was to fire a pro-forma shot and surrender. The privateers captured 16 Dutch vessels and sailed away. A few days later, two British sloops-of-war, and HMS "Surprize", that Admiral Lord Rodney had sent appeared at Demerara and Essequibo and accepted their surrender.