The warship on the left is flying the plain red flag of a Vice-Admiral of the Red Squadron. Although the identity of the flagship is uncertain, it is possible that she is the 'Boyne' when she was Admiral Byng's flagship on his return to England in 1748. To the right is a ketch-rigged bomb-vessel, the masts set well back to provide space and a clear field of fire for the two mortars. There are a variety of naval craft present with a coastline to the right. The sea is fresh, and dark in the foreground, the wind is up, and the scene is framed to the top left and right by dark clouds. The artist painted three different versions of this subject, of which this is the smallest. The largest is in the Foundling Hospital, London, and there is another version in the Tate collection.

Most of the artist's extant paintings date from the last six years of his career and are principally marine subject-matter. Brooking's reputation as a marine artist was well established by 1755, and although his stylistic range shows the influences of Simon de Vlieger and Willem van de Velde the Younger, his approach was uncompromisingly individualistic. His careful attention to detail evinces an informed knowledge of maritime practice and naval architecture.