ROOKE, Sir GEORGE, a distinguished British admiral, was b. iu the year 1650 near Canterbury, at the country-seat of his father, sir William Hooke. Having entered the navy, lie found himself, at the age of 30, a post-capt.; and in 1689 he was promoted to the rank of rear-admiral. He was engaged in the action off Beachy Head between the earl of Torrington and the French admiral De Tourville; and in 1692 took part in the memorable battle of La Hogue, fought between the French fleet ant: combined English and Dutch force under admiral Russell. Ou this occasion his s6rvices were of the most brilliant and dashing character, and in acknowledgment of them lie received the rank of vice-admiral of the red, the honor of knighthood, and a pension of £1000 a veer. his next important service was the destruction of a Spanish plate-fleet in the port of Vigo; and in July, 1704, in conjunction with sir Clondesley Shovel, be accomplished the capture of Gibraltar: Such was the vigor of the operations, that a single week sufficed for the reduction of a fortress which, as having defied the most formidable.
elaborate, and prolonged attack, has since been reputed impregnable. On Aug. 9 (tithe same year, he engaged off Malaga a French fleet of much superior force, under the comte de Toulouse, and fought one of the bloodiest of our naval battles, the honors of which fairly remained with the English, thought the escape of the enemfs force rendered it by comparison a barren triumph. The struggle lasted through nearly a whole day; the French loss was upward of 3,000, the English upward of 2,000 men. On the return of sir George to England, he was received with marked distinction by queen Anne; but finding the hostility of the government directed against him on the merely partisan ground of his having previously, as member for Portsmouth. allied himself with the opposition, he resigned his employments, and along with them his seat in parliament; and till his death, which took place on Jan. 24. 1709, led the life of a quiet country gentle man on the family property in Kent. He was thrice married, and left behind him one on by his second wife.