Zarauz then served in the squadrons of Antonio Barceló, Juan de Lángara and Federico Gravina.
Anchored at Manila, he was given orders by General Álava to set sail for China to buy flour for the fleet, with 850,000 pesos in cash.
[2] The landing party consisted of 1,200 Spanish troops, under Field Marshal Renovales and 800 British Marines.
Although the expedition had some initial success in capturing the important port of Gijón, in Asturias, as they were anchored in the bay of Santoña in preparation for the landing operation a sudden gale forced ships to head out to sea on 23 October, the Magdalena and the Palomo cutting their anchor cables.
[2] The squadron then headed back to Viveiro, where a hurricane caused the Magdalena to founder and the Palomo to be smashed against the rocks.