Battle
A tempest on 10 October, damaged, but did not sink some of the ships of the Franco-Spanish fleet blockading Gibraltar, then anchored off Algeciras. Howe's fleet, escorting a Gibraltar-bound merchant convoy, appeared the next day and owing to the storm, were pushed into the Mediterranean. That day, taking advantage of a WNW wind, De Córdova's fleet started to pursue the convoy, while the Spanish Admiral sent his smaller vessels to shadow the British. After several days of fighting westerly winds and currents the convoy, having evaded the Spanish, managed to enter Gibraltar on the 17th.
Meanwhile, around sunrise on the 20th, both battle fleets sighted each other some 18 miles off Cape Spartel. De Córdova signalled 'general chase', disregarding division places. The British line of battle was to starboard of the Franco-Spanish. At around 1 pm, and after Cordova's flagship, the 120-gun Santísima Trinidad reached the centre of the combined line, both fleets were about two miles apart. The British reduced sail in order to tighten their line of battle. At 5.45 the van of the Franco-Spanish fleet opened fire. The British returned fire, while Howe signalled 'retreat all sail', making at least 14 Franco-Spanish ships redundant, among them two three-deckers. No British ships were really engaged, despite the efforts of de Córdova's ships, which chased the fleeing British fleet. On the 21st, both fleets were some 12 miles apart. De Córdova made repairs and was ready to resume the action. However, no battle took place the next day as Howe had sailed back to Britain in line with his orders.
Read more about this topic: Battle Of Cape Spartel
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—Herman Melville (1819–1891)
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—Emmeline Pankhurst (1858–1928)