The naval Battle of Cape Passaro took place on 11 August 1718 near Cape Passaro, Sicily, when a British fleet under Admiral George Byng defeated a Spanish fleet of twenty-six men-of-war, two fireships, four bomb vessels, seven galleys and several other ships with stores and provisions under Admiral Don Anthonio de Castaneta (or José Antonio de Gaztañeta). The Spanish fleet split into 2; one part made for the coast while the other engaged the British ships as they came up. Most of the Spanish ships were captured and laid up in Minorca. In 1731 they were to have been returned but were found to be rotten and broken up. August 11 is the 223rd day of the year (224th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... // Events July 21 - Treaty of Passarowitz signed November 22 - Off the coast of Virginia, English pirate Edward Teach (best known as Blackbeard) is killed in battle when a British boarding party cornered and then shot and stabbed him more than 25 times. ... Sicily (Sicilia in Italian) is an autonomous region of Italy and the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, with an area of 25,700 sq. ... The Right Honourable George Byng, 1st Viscount Torrington (1668) - (Jan. ... Flag of Minorca Minorca (Menorca both in Catalan and Spanish and increasingly in English usage; from Latin insula minor, later Minorica minor island) is one of the Balearic Islands (Illes Balears Catalan official name, Islas Baleares in Spanish), located in the Mediterranean Sea, and belonging to Spain. ... Events 10 Downing Street becomes the official residence of the United Kingdoms Prime Minister when Robert Walpole moves in. ...

Ships involved:

Britain (George Byng)

Barfleur 90 (flag, first captain George Saunders)
Shrewsbury 80 (Vice-Admiral Charles Cornwall)
Dorsetshire 80 (Rear-Admiral George Delavall)
Breda 70 (Barrow Harris)
Grafton 70 (Nicholas Haddock)
Kent 70 (Thomas Mathews)
Orford 70 (Edward Falkingham)
Royal Oak 70 (J. Winder?)
Montagu 60 (Thomas Beverley)
Superbe 60 (Streynsham Master)
Rupert 56/60 (Arthur Field)
Rochester 50 (Joseph Winder)
Argyle
Canterbury (George Walton)
Captain (Archibald Hamilton)
Essex

Spain (José Antonio de Gaztañeta)

(Real) San Felipe 70/74?/80 (flag) - Captured, blew up while being towed
Principe de Asturias 70 (Rear-Admiral Chacon) - Captured
San Luis 60 (Rear-Admiral Guavara)
San Carlos 60 (Prince de Chalay) - Captured
Real Mazi 60 - Captured
San Fernando 60
Santa Isabel(la) 60 - Captured
Santa Rosa 56/64? - Captured
San Isidro 46?/50 - Captured
Volante 40/46 - Captured
Aguila - Captured
Esperanza - Captured
Juno - Captured
Sorpresa - Captured

See Painting