Despite an active and successful early and middle career, his reputation was tarnished in 1740 when he failed to prevent the Spanish and French fleets from combining to support an invasion of Italy.

On 30 December he brought Ludlow Castle into range with two such vessels, Nightingale and Squirrel, both former English merchantmen captured and refitted by the French.

In November 1741, a Spanish fleet with 14,000 troops sailed to Orbetello and in mid-December, 52 ships carrying almost 12,800 men successfully crossed towards La Spezia.

[7] He was promoted to the rank of rear admiral in 1734 and promptly took up a political career, obtaining the Admiralty-controlled rotten borough of Rochester in the elections in that year.

[1] His estate, comprising Wrotham Place and a fortune in South Sea and East India Company shares, was inherited by his eldest son Nicholas.