José Antonio de Gaztañeta

He was an innovator who applied a scientific approach to ship design, and was at the origin of the revival of the Spanish Navy in the eighteenth century.

This led to his most important contribution in the field of ship building, the renovation and re-organisation of the Spanish Navy following its poor performance in the war.

[2] Gaztañeta also participated in the Anglo-Spanish War of 1727 to 1729, where he successfully guided a Spanish fleet through the British blockade of Porto Bello in Panama.

He saved a fleet coming back from Naples, cleverly avoiding an ambush by Admiral Tourville near Mahon.

In the War of the Quadruple Alliance (1718-1720) he was appointed head of the fleet which was to sail the Spanish Army under the Marquis of Lede to Sardinia and Sicily.