Battle of Cape Passaro

11 August 1718, Off Cape Passaro, Sicily

Decisive British victory; most of the Spanish fleet taken or destroyed

Byng arrived at Naples in August, picked up Austrian troops for Sicily, and sailed through the Strait of Messina after the Spanish fleet, which had just landed its army. The Spanish admiral, Gaztañeta, did not expect to be attacked, since Britain and Spain were not at war, and his fleet was strung out along the coast south of Syracuse. Byng ordered a general chase. Over the day his ships overhauled the Spanish one by one: the flagship Real San Felipe was dismasted and struck, Príncipe de Asturias, Santa Rosa, San Carlos and Real Mari were taken, and a detachment under Captain George Walton chased the Spanish rear inshore and took or burned the rest. Seven Spanish ships of the line and six frigates were captured and several more ships burned, at a cost of some 500 British casualties.