It was soon known that these salutes were fired on account of the battle of La Hogue.

The French King exerted himself to appear serene.

"They make a strange noise," he said, "about the burning of a few ships." In truth he was much disturbed, and the more so because a report had reached the Low Countries that there had been a sea fight, and that his fleet had been victorious.

His good humour however was soon restored by the brilliant success of those operations which were under his own immediate direction.

When the siege was over, he left Luxemburg in command of the army, and returned to Versailles.