Two Spanish frigates, Nuestra Señora del Carmen and Santa Florentina mistook Duckworth's force for part of their convoy, came too close and had to surrender after a short but fierce resistance.

This fleet, initially commanded by Vice-Admiral Sir John Jervis, won a significant victory over the Spanish at the Battle of Cape St. Vincent in February 1797.

Convoys carrying supplies and trade goods back and forth continued to use Cádiz and by 1800 in an effort to stop these the British Mediterranean Fleet was deploying smaller squadrons of frigates and ships of the line.

[3] In March 1800, command of the blockade was entrusted to Rear-Admiral John Thomas Duckworth sailing in the 74-gun ship of the line HMS Leviathan with Captain James Carpenter.

Calm weather delayed both forces, but by 03:00 on 6 April Waller could bring Emerald across the path of the small Spanish merchant ship Confiance, bound for Buenos Aires with trade goods.

[5] The following morning calm winds prevented any movement at all, with allowed boats from Leviathan and Emerald to be launched against a Spanish merchant brig lying becalmed nearby.

For 40 minutes the boats, commanded by Lieutenant Charles March Gregory, exchanged fire with the brig Los Angeles (apparently also known as Barcelona), before the Spanish vessel surrendered.

[6] During the day the British convoy had succeeded in overrunning two more Spanish ships, La Bastanesa and Nuestra Senora de las Delares, both carrying supplies to Buenos Aires.

The Spanish captains had misidentified the new arrivals, believing them to be part of the scattered convoy, and it was not until dawn that they realised their mistake, by which time Duckworth's force was too close for them to escape.

[8] Duckworth hailed the nearest frigate, demanding its surrender in the face of overwhelming force, but the Spanish captain refused, raising all sail in an effort to escape.

The new captures, Jesus Nazareen, El Veneato, Providence, Cartagena and Madre de Dios were all laden with trade goods for the colonies and were taken to Gibraltar for assessment and sale.