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The Action of 9 August 1780 was a naval engagement of the Anglo-Spanish War, in which a Spanish fleet, led by Admiral Luis de Córdova y Córdova, along with a squadron of French ships, encountered a large British convoy. The Spanish and French force captured almost all the British vessels, which dealt a severe blow to the commerce of Great Britain.〔Guthrie p.354〕〔Ramsay p.184〕〔Bisset p.46〕 The British convoy, led by Sir John Moutray, captain of and three frigates, sailed from Portsmouth on 27 July. On 9 August, they encountered the Spanish fleet. The Spaniards captured 52 of 55 British vessels, making it one of the most complete naval captures ever made.〔The encyclopaedia of London, p.483.〕 The British lost 80,000 muskets, equipment for 40,000 troops, 294 cannons (the normal British troop size during the American Independence War was 40,000 troops), and 3,144 men. The financial impact of the losses were estimated to be around £1,500,000〔 (£1,000,000 in gold and £500,000 – £600,000 in equipment and ships). The action also helped to derail a secret British diplomatic effort to make peace with Spain.〔Syrett pp.136–137〕 The loss was still bitterly remembered in Great Britain 30 years later, at the height of the Napoleonic Wars.〔Parkinson p.38〕 ==Engagement== The British convoy sailed from Portsmouth, and consisted of 55 sailing vessels. The convoy included East Indiamen, West Indiamen, 18 victuallers, military storeships, and transports carrying the 90th Regiment of Foot.〔 The troops were intended for service in the West Indies, and they had tents and camp equipment with them. Besides arms, ammunition, and a train of artillery, the five East India vessels carried a large quantity of naval-stores to supply the British squadron in that area. On the morning of 2 August, the convoy fell in with the Channel Fleet. The Channel Fleet accompanied the convoy for several hours, to a point 112 leagues off the Isles of Scilly, where the two groups of ships parted company.〔 Following the instructions given to Luis de Córdova by Don Jose Moñino, count of Floridablanca, the Spanish fleet set sail from Cádiz and sailed as far as Madeira and the Canary Islands, where Don Luís deployed several frigates to spot the convoy. One of these frigates intercepted the convoy on the night of 8 August.〔(''Listado de presas británicas capturadas por la escuadra de Luis de Córdoba en 1780'' ) ''Revista de Historia Naval del Ministerio de Defensa'' – An incomplete list of the British ships captured by Admiral Luis de Córdova in 1780 〕 The news was greeted with caution, because there was doubt as to whether the ships were the Channel Fleet or the British convoy. The deputy Spanish commander, José de Mazarredo, called for an immediate attack.〔Fernández de Navarrete p.84〕 He reasoned that there was no reason for the British fleet to be sailing so far from the Channel, and argued that all the suspected ships had to be a convoy under escort. The British convoy mistook the lanterns at mast head of the ''Santísima Trinidad'' for those of their own commander, and fooled by a ruse of war,〔 they steered accordingly.〔Botta p.449〕 At daybreak, they found themselves intermingled with the Spanish fleet.〔Botta p.449〕 Admiral de Cordova enveloped them, and hoisted signals to launch a general chase.〔〔Botta p.449〕 de Córdova's fleet captured 52 West Indiamen, including those chartered by the crown, and the five East Indiamen, ''Gatton'', ''Godfrey'', ''Hillsborough'', ''Mountstuart'' and ''Royal George'', totaling to 55 captured ships. The British loss was the worst disaster in the history of the East India Company.〔Bowen, H V (2006). ''The business of empire: the East India Company and imperial Britain, 1756–1833''. Cambridge University Press, p. 156. ISBN 978-0-521-84477-2〕 The 120-gun ship of the line ''Santísima Trinidad'', the flagship of Admiral de Córdova, fired on ''Mountstuart'' and ''Godfrey'' to induce them to strike. ''Gatton'' was also attacked by the ''Purísima Concepción'' and set on fire, but the fire was later brought under control, and the ship was seized. A frigate flotilla, commanded by Santiago de Liniers, and part of the ''Concepción'' squadron, captured the 30-gun ''Hillsborough''.〔(''Santísima Trinidad, orgullo de la Armada española'', by Pedro Amado ) 〕 HMS ''Ramillies'', two frigates and a few West India ships broke contact and sailed away. The official Spanish report identifies the two frigates as the 36-gun HMS ''Thetis'' and HMS ''Southampton''.〔 The captured British ships were brought to Cádiz, which was an unusual spectacle since the capture of such a great enemy convoy by any navy was an uncommon event; de Córdova's fleet did this on two occasions. All the ships, including the five East Indiaman, were incorporated into the Spanish navy.〔Guthrie/Ferguson p.360〕 This was a major intelligence failure, for the British Admiralty did not learn of the capture of the British convoy until 4 August, and neither did Geary nor Captain John Moutray.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Action of 9 August 1780」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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