Admiral Benbow had in the meantime been despatched to the West Indies, in command of a small squadron, to prevent the Spanish islands from falling into the power of France. Hearing that Monsieur de Casse, the French admiral, had sailed for Carthagena, he pursued him. On the 19th of August, in the afternoon, he discovered ten sail steering westward along the shore under their topsails. Upon this, he threw out a signal for a line of battle. The frigates being a long time coming up, and the night advancing, Benbow steered alongside the French, having disposed his line of battle in the following manner:--The _Defiance, Pendennis, Windsor, Breda, Greenwich, Ruby_, and _Falmouth_. Though he endeavoured to near them, he intended not to make any attack until the _Defiance_ had got abreast of the headmost. He, however, was compelled before long to open his fire; but after two or three broadsides had been exchanged, the _Defiance_ and _Windsor_ luffed up out of gunshot, leaving the two sternmost ships of the enemy engaged with the admiral, while his own ships in the rear did not come up as he had expected. He afterwards altered his line of battle. The next morning at daybreak, he was near the French ships, but none of his squadron, excepting the _Ruby_, were with him, the rest lying some miles astern. There was but little wind, and though the admiral was within gunshot of the enemy, they did not fire. In the afternoon, a sea-breeze springing up, the enemy got into line and made what sail they could, while the rest of the English ships not coming up, the admiral and _Ruby_ plied them with chase-guns, and kept them company all the next night. On the 21st the admiral again exchanged fire with the enemy's fleet, as did the _Ruby_, and he would have followed had not the _Ruby_ been in such a condition that he could not leave her. The _Ruby_ was so disabled during this and the following day, that the admiral ordered her to return to Port Royal.