BATTLE OF CAPE PASSARO

The naval 'Battle of Cape Passaro' (or 'Passero') took on place on 11 August, 1718, near Cape Passero, the most south-easternly point of Sicily. It occurred, when a British naval fleet under Admiral Sir George Byng defeated a Spanish fleet under Vice-Admiral Don Antonio de Gaztañeta (or Castañeta) and Rear-Admiral Don Fernando Chacon.

Contents

Background

The Battle

Aftermath

Ships involved:

References

Background

At this time, there was no formal war declaration between Spain and Britain, however tensions were high. Just 9 days prior, on 2 August, 1718, was the formation of the Quadruple Alliance, with Holy Roman Empire, Kingdom of France, Kingdom of Great Britain and the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands demanding the Spanish withdraw its invading forces from Sicily and Sardinia. The British fleet had earlier landed a small Austrian army near Messina, which began besieged that city which was controlled by the Spanish.

The Battle

The Spanish fleet consisted of twenty-six men-of-war, two fireships, four bomb vessels, seven galleys and several other ships with stores and provisions. It was sailing scattered, and the sight of the British ships wasn't initially perceived as any danger, as they were unaware of the Quadruple Alliance's ultimatum. The Spanish fleet split into two - the smaller ships made for the coast, while the larger ships engaged the British as they came up. ''HMS Canterbury'' was detached along with ''HMS Argyle'', ''HMS Burford'' and four other ships to chase the first group and captured most of them. These captured Spanish warships were afterwards laid up in Minorca.

Aftermath

Four months later on 17 December 1718, the French, British, and Austrians declared war on Spain, starting the War of the Quadruple Alliance. The Dutch joined them later, declaring war on Spain in August 1719.
Thwarted from Spanish interference, the besieging Austrian army captured Messina the next year, and destroyed the remaining Spanish ships in the harbour. These events combined to eventually forced the Spanish king to accept the terms of the Quadruple Alliance in 1720.
Byng was rewarded handsomely for this victory by King George I of Great Britain, and given full power to negotiate with the various princes and states of Italy, on behalf of the English crown. On his return to England in 1721, he was made Rear-Admiral of Great Britain, a member of the Privy Council, and ennobled as Baron Byng of Southill and 1st Viscount Torrington, in Devon.
Of the ships captured in this battle, the ''Principe de Asturias'' had formely been the British 80-gun ship ''Cumberland'', captured by the French in 1707 and later sold to Spain; after the Battle of Cape Passaro, she was sold to Austria. In 1731 the British offered to return the other captured ships lain up in Minorca, but they were found to be rotten and were broken up instead.

Ships involved:

'Britain (Sir George Byng)'

''Barfleur'' 90 (flag of Admiral Sir George Byng, 1st Captain George Saunders, 2nd Captain Richard Lestock)

''Shrewsbury'' 80 (Vice-Admiral Charles Cornwall, Captain John Balchen)

''Dorsetshire'' 80 (Rear-Admiral George Delavall, Captain John Furzer)

''Breda'' 70 (Barrow Harris)

''Burford'' 70 (Charles Vanbrugh)

''Captain'' 70 (Archibald Hamilton)

''Essex'' 70 (Richard Rowzier)

''Grafton'' 70 (Nicholas Haddock)

''Kent'' 70 (Thomas Mathews)

''Lenox'' 70 (Charles Strickland)

''Orford'' 70 (Edward Falkingham)

''Royal Oak'' 70 (Thomas Kempthorne)

''Canterbury'' 60 (George Walton)

''Dreadnought'' 60 (William Haddock)

''Dunkirk'' 60 (Francis Drake)

''Montagu'' 60 (Thomas Beverley)

''Ripon'' 60 (Christopher O'Brien)

''Rupert'' 60 (Arthur Field)

''Superbe'' 60 (Streynsham Master)

''Rochester'' 50 (Joseph Winder)

''Argyle'' 50 (Conningsby Norbury)

''Charles Galley'' 44 (Philip Vanbrugh)

'Total:' 1 of 90 guns, 2 of 80 guns, 9 of 70 guns, 7 of 60 guns, 2 of 50 guns, 1 of 44 guns. The British fleet also comprised 6 smaller vessels - the fireships ''Garland'' (Samuel Atkins) and ''Griffin'' (Humphrey Orme), the storeship ''Success'' (Francis Knighton), the hospital ship ''Looe'' (Timothy Splaine), the bomb-ketch ''Basilisk'' (John Hubbard) and an un-named bomb tender.



'Spain (Vice-Admiral Don José Antonio de Gaztañeta)'

''Real San Felipe (El Real)'' 74 (flag) - Captured by ''Superbe'' and ''Kent'', blew up after being towed to Mahon.

''Principe de Asturias'' 70 (Rear-Admiral Don Fernando Chacon) - Captured by ''Breda'' and ''Captain''.

''San Juan Bautista'' 60 (Don Francisco Guerrera) - Escaped to Malta.

''San Luis'' 60 (Rear-Admiral Don Balthazar de Guavara) - Escaped to Malta.

''San Pedro'' 60 (Don Antonio Arrisago) - Escaped.

''San Carlos'' 60 (Principe de Chalay) - Captured by ''Kent''.

''Real Mazi (El Real)'' 60 (Rear-Admiral Marques de Mari) - Captured by ''Canterbury's division.

''San Fernando'' 60 (Rear-Admiral George Cammock) - Escaped to Malta.

''Santa Isabel(la)''/''San Isabel'' 60 (Don Andrea Reggio) - Captured by ''Dorsetshire''.

''Santa Rosa'' 60 (Don Antonio Gonzales) - Captured by ''Orford''.

''Perla de España'' 54 (Don Gabriel Alderete) - Escaped to Malta.

''San Isidro'' 46 (Don Manuel Villavicentia) - Captured by ''Canterbury's division.

''Hermione'' 44 (Don Rodrigo de Torres) - Escaped, but then burnt at Messina.

''Volante'' 44 (Don Antonio Escudero) - Captured by ''Montagu'' and ''Rupert''.

''Aguila'' 24 (Don Lucas Masnata) - Captured by ''Canterbury's division.

''Esperanza'' 46 (Don Juan Delfino y Barlande) - Burnt to escape capture.

''Juno'' 36 (Don Pedro Moyana - Captured by ''Essex''.

''Sorpresa'' 36 (Don Michael de Sada) - Captured by ''Canterbury's division.

''Galera'' 30 (Don Francisco Alverera) - Escaped.

''Castilla'' 30 (Don Francisco Lenio) - Escaped.

''Conde de Tolosa'' 30 (Don Juan Goccocea) - Escaped, but then captured at Messina.

'Total:' 1-74, 1-70, 8-60, 4-50, 3-40, 2-30, 3-26, 1-14 gun, 13 other

References

1. The Battle of Cape Passaro, 11 August 1718 from Maritime Art Greenwich accessed on May 27 2007


★ ''Trafalgar and the Spanish Navy'' (1988)

★ ''Pattee Byng's Journal 1718-1720'' (1950)