HMS Superb (1710)

The Battle of Cape Passaro, painted in 1767 by Richard Paton. The action is shown at around 4.00pm and to the right, Superb can be seen raking the Real San Felipe as the Spanish flagship strikes her colours.

On 10 August 1718 the British were off the Calabrian coast when they spotted two vessels, which they presumed to be Spanish scouts. Hoping they would lead to the main fleet, Byng ordered his ships to follow and they located the enemy at around noon. On seeing the British, the Spanish fleet turned away. To prevent losing contact with the enemy during the night, Byng sent his four fastest ships on ahead. HMS Superb, Kent, Grafton and Orford kept up with the Spanish fleet, who were rowing their heaviest ships in the light wind.[10] When dawn broke the following morning, the Spanish discovered the proximity of the British and split their fleet; sending the smaller vessels, store ships, bomb ketches and fire ships towards the shore. In response, Byng sent eight ships in pursuit, including HMS Canterbury and HMS Argyll. Meanwhile Superb, Kent, Grafton and Orford, were ordered to overtake the remaining, larger, Spanish ships, which included Real San Felipe (St Philip the Royal) with Vice-Admiral Castagneta aboard.[10] At around 1300hrs, Superb engaged the enemy flagship and two others, and a running battle ensued. After two hours Kent joined the fight and Superb was able to force the Spanish admiral to surrender.[10] In total, 17 Spanish ships were either taken or destroyed by the British fleet.[10]

On 3 April 1719, HMS Superb and HMS Dragon (previously HMS Ormonde), then in Menorca, were sent by Admiral Byng to join Captain Cavendish, who was charged with making peace with the Moors.[11] While en route to rejoin Byng at Naples in August 1719 HMS Superb captured an 8-gun Spanish privateer.[12]

In April 1720, Superb was sent back to Woolwich for substantial repairs and subsequently served under Captain Arthur Field as a guard ship at Sheerness and then at Chatham.[3] She was fitted out at Portsmouth before being sent to the West Indies in 1725, where she later joined Admiral Francis Hosier's fleet and during the Anglo-Spanish War took part in the unsuccessful blockade of Porto Bello. In 1726 Commander, later Captain, John Price took command. He died in December 1727.[13] Captain Edward St. Lo succeeded Price, initially just as Captain of the ship but then also as Commodore of the squadron, but St Lo also died while in command, on 22 April 1729. Captain Peter Solgard took over and Superb returned to home waters at the end of hostilities, where she remained for the rest of her career.[3]