The Battle of Orford Ness was fought between a southbound Swedish merchant convoy escorted by the 56-gun ship of the line ÃÂland and an English squadron of eight ships of the line and a frigate off Orford Ness on 7 August 1704. The English squadron, under Rear-admiral William Whetstone, began following the convoy upon sighting it. When Whetstone caught up with the Swedes, he demanded they salute his ships as the Swedish convoy was in English waters. ÃÂlands captain, Gustaf von Psilander, under strict orders from Charles XII of Sweden not to salute to foreign ships first, refused. A four-hour battle ensued, during which the English suffered 100 men killed or wounded while the Swedish suffered 53.
The heavily damaged ÃÂland eventually struck her colours and was captured by the English alongside the merchant ships she was convoying. The Swedish Board of Admiralty and Board of Trade refused to demand for his release or support Psilander while he was in captivity, but Charles XII successfully demanded the English release both ÃÂland and her crew. Psilander, his crew, and the convoyed ships were subsequently released and returned to Sweden. However, ÃÂland sank north of Denmark while homewards bound.