-battle. He had
before him a disorderly force, much inferior both in numbers and
discipline. His merit seems rather to lie in the readiness to assume a
responsibility from which a more scrupulous man might have shrunk; but
in this and throughout the campaign he rendered good service to
England, whose sea power was again strengthened by the destruction not
of an actual but a possible rival, and his services were rewarded by a
peerage. In connection with this day's work was written a despatch
which has great favor with English historians. One of the senior
captains was detached with a division against some escaping ships of
the enemy. His report to the admiral ran thus: "SIR,--We have taken or
destroyed all the Spanish ships upon this coast, the number as per
margin. Respectfully, etc., G. Walton." One English writer makes, and
another indorses, the uncalled-for but characteristic fling at the
French, that the ships thus thrust into the margin would have filled
some pages of a French narration.[81] It may be granted that the
so-called "battle" of Cape Passaro did not merit a long description,
and Captain Walton possibly felt so; but if all reports of naval
transactions were modelled upon his, the writing of naval history
would not depend on official papers.

Thus the Spanish navy was struck down on the 11th of August, 1718,
off Cape Passaro. This settled the fate of Sicily, if it had been
doubtful before. The English fleet cruised round the island,
supporting the Austrians and isolating the Spaniards, none of whom
were permitted to withdraw before peace was made. Alberoni's
diplomatic projects failed one after the other, with a strange
fatality. In the following year the French, in pursuance of the terms
of the alliance, invaded the north of Spain and destroyed the
dock-yards; burning nine large ships on the stocks, besides the
materials for seven more, at the instigation of an English _attache_
accompanying the French headquarters. Thus was completed the
destruction of the Spanish navy, which, says an English historian, was
ascribed to the maritime jealousy of England. "This was done," wrote
the French commander, the Duke of Berwick, a bastard of the house of
Stuart, "in order that the English government may be able to show the
next Parliament that nothing has been neglected to diminish the navy
of Spain." The acts of Sir George Byng, as given by the English naval
historian, make yet more manifest the purpose of England