At his return to England, the house of lords, then sitting, set on foot an inquiry into his conduct.

They presented an address to the queen, desiring she would remove him from his employments; and he was accordingly dismissed.

The only exploit that tended to distress the enemy was performed by rear-admiral Dilkes, who in the month of July sailed to the coast of France with a small squadron; and, in the neighbourhood of Granville, took or destroyed about forty ships and their convoy.

Yet this damage was inconsiderable, when compared to that which the English navy sustained from the dreadful tempest that began to blow on the twenty-seventh day of November, accompanied with such flashes of lightning, and peals of thunder, as overwhelmed the whole kingdom with consternation.

The houses in London shook from their foundations, and some of them falling buried the inhabitants in their ruins.