He sailed with special orders to make the best of his way out, to collect such force, both of ships and troops, as might be available, and going north to reduce the French settlement of Placentia. A few days after he sailed, on 18 March, he fell in with a squadron of four French ships of force clearly inferior to the five with him. Graydon, however, considered that he was bound by his instructions to avoid all chances of delay; he allowed them to pass him unhindered, and did not pursue. He arrived at Barbados on 12 May, and at Jamaica on 4 June but the necessity of refitting, the condition of several of the ships, some of which had been long on the station, the want of stores, and the bad feeling with the locals, all combined to delay the expedition. It did not reach Newfoundland till the beginning of August. From that time for thirty days it was enveloped in a dense fog; it was 3 September before the fleet was again assembled, and then a council of war, considering the lateness of the season, the bad condition of the ships, the sickly state of the men, the want of provisions, and the strength of the enemy at Placentia, decided that the attack ought not to be made. On 24 September the fleet accordingly sailed for England; the weather was very bad, the ships were scattered, and singly reached home in the course of October.[2]
The expedition had been an evident failure, and the neglect to engage the French squadron passed on the outward voyage appeared culpable; and a committee of the House of Lords reported that Graydon by his conduct had been a prejudice to the queen's service and a great dishonour to the nation, and recommended that he should 'be employed no more in her majesty's service'. He was not tried, but was condemned on hearsay. Graydon was virtually cashiered, his pension was stopped, and he was not reinstated. He died on 12 March 1726.[2]
