 Van Nes commanded the Dutch fleet on its next three passes.As it held a leeward position, its guns had greater range which, with its superior numbers, made it clear by the early afternoon that the day's outcome could be decided by attrition.Some English ships were dreadfully damaged, the merchantman "Loyal Subject" and another ship withdrew for their home ports and HMS "Black Eagle" (the former Dutch "Groningen") raised the distress flag, but it sank from the many below-water shot holes it had suffered before any ships' boats could take off its crew.