Rooke, SIR GEORGE

Rooke, SIR GEORGE, British admiral, was born in 1650, near Canterbury, at the country-seat of his father, Sir William Rooke. Entering the navy, he found himself at thirty a post-captain, and in 1689 was promoted to the rank of rear-admiral of the red. He took part in the action off Beachy Head between the Earl of Torrington and a French fleet under Tourville; and in 1692 he distinguished himself greatly in the memorable battle off Cape La Hogue, fought between the French fleet and the combined English and Dutch force under Admiral Russell. For this he received the rank of vice-admiral of the red, knighthood, and a pension of £1000 a year. In 1702 he commanded the expedition against Cadiz, and destroyed the Plate-fleet in the port of Vigo. In conjunction with Sir Cloudesley Shovel he accomplished the capture of Gibraltar, 21st July 1704. On the 9th August of the same year he engaged off Malaga a much heavier French fleet under the Comte de Toulouse, and fought one of the bloodiest of naval battles, the honours of which fairly remained with the English, though the escape of the enemy's fleet through the hazy weather rendered it a somewhat barren triumph. The struggle lasted through nearly a whole day; the French loss was upwards of 3000, the English upwards of 2000 men. Sir George was received with marked distinction by Queen Anne, but, finding the government hostile to him on political grounds, retired, and led the life of a Kentish gentleman till his death, 24th January 1709. See his Journal, edited by Oscar Browning for the Navy Records Society (1897).