Chapter 12, Captain (later Admiral) Nicholas Haddock
For the full story of this pictured incident, turn to Chapter 12.
In 1718 Britain allied with Austria and other countries to deter aggression by Spain, which had lost its Italian empire to Austria under the 1713–14 Peace of Utrecht. On 31 July the Grafton, commanded by then-Captain (later Admiral) Nicholas Haddock (1685–1746), and two other warships chased and attacked Spanish ships off the southeastern coast of Sicily. Haddock forced ashore a 70-gun Spanish warship, which sank. Fifty of his men were killed or wounded. The captain had acted under orders from Admiral Sir George Byng. However, Britain was not officially at war with Spain, which caused outrage across Europe. Richard Paton, Public domain via Wikimedia Commons (original at National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London)