a british ship of the line , hms `` swiftsure '' under captain benjamin hallowell was passing Motion_directional westwards through the southern mediterranean near cape derna when it encountered Hostile_encounter a much larger french squadron under contre-amiral UNK ganteaume that was also returning Arriving westwards after a failed attempt to reinforce the besieged Besieging french garrison in egypt .

although his crew fought hard , they were overwhelmed Destroying by the french frigates and forced Control to surrender , only for rowley to arrive in hms `` boadicea '' and drive Motion off the french warships , recapturing Control `` africaine '' .

in response Response , the british frigates `` nymphe '' and hms `` venus '' had been ordered Request to intercept Preventing_or_letting and defeat Conquering the french frigates and on 27 may `` venus '' and `` UNK '' fought Hostile_encounter an inconclusive engagement Hostile_encounter off cape finisterre .

at 16:15 the leading british ship Sending hms `` stag '' caught Connect and engaged Hostile_encounter the rearmost batavian ship Sending `` unk '' ( cdr .

the action of 25 february 1781 was a naval engagement fought Hostile_encounter off cape finisterre between the spanish naval frigate sixth rate `` unk '' of 30 guns and the royal navy fifth-rate frigate hms `` cerberus '' of 32 guns .

on 25 february 1781 , whilst cruising Patrolling 20 leagues off cape finisterre , hms `` cerberus '' , under captain robert mann , sighted Traveling `` unk '' .

at 15:15 , a third ship was sighted Know to the south , which proved Statement to be the 74-gun ship of the line hms `` powerful '' , disguised as an east indiaman .

although they separated Forming_relationships their ships in an effort to split their opponents , the spanish captains were unable to escape Escaping : `` thetis '' was captured Conquering after a short engagement Hostile_encounter with hms `` unk '' on the morning of 16 october , while `` santa brigida '' almost reached safety , only being caught on the morning of 17 october in the approaches Arriving to the safe harbour at muros .

escaping the ships watching le havre , `` amazone '' was sighted Know at dawn on 24 march weathering cape barfleur by ship of the line hms `` berwick '' , which pursued the french frigate into a bay west of the phare de unk lighthouse .

several days after unloading Removing the cargo , while sailing Self_motion to cadiz for repairs , `` glorioso '' was attacked Attack successively near cape st vincent by four british privateer frigates and the ships of the line hms `` dartmouth '' and hms `` russell '' from admiral john byng 's fleet .

several days after unloading Removing the cargo , while sailing Self_motion to cadiz for repairs , `` glorioso '' was attacked Attack successively near cape st vincent by four british privateer frigates and the ships of the line hms `` dartmouth '' and hms `` russell '' from admiral john byng 's fleet .