 By 6pm, Albemarle's fleet, reduced to 41 ships still in action, was near to collapse, with many ships badly damaged and with significant casualties, and some with little powder and shot left.To add to the English troubles, in the late afternoon or early evening, a new Dutch contingent of twelve ships appeared on the southeast horizon.At the time, Albemarle believed that these were part of a fresh force that the English intelligence network considered that the Dutch had retained as a tactical reserve.