On August 9 Sir George Byng with his formidable fleet arrived off Messina, and sent a letter to the Spanish General proposing to him that he should grant a cessation of hostilities for two months, to give time for the Powers to agree to a lasting peace, apprising him of his instructions in case of refusal. The Spaniard replied that he had no powers to treat, and that he would obey his orders, which were to seize Sicily for the King of Spain. The Spanish fleet had weighed the day before, and was out of sight to the south. Byng went in chase, and before noon of the next day he came in sight of their twenty-seven men-of-war in order of battle. Don Antonio de Castaneta was the Admiral in command, and there were four rear-admirals, one of them an Irish renegade named Cammock. On sighting the English fleet they stood away, but still in order of battle. All that day and the succeeding night the English Admiral followed them. Early in the morning of the 11th one of the Spanish rear-admirals parted company with six frigates and all the galleys, bomb-vessels, and store-ships, standing for the Sicilian coast near Syracuse. Captain Walton of the _Canterbury_, with five vessels under his command, was detached in pursuit. Walton’s report of his proceedings is a model of business-like brevity: ‘SIR,--We have taken and destroyed all the Spanish ships and vessels which were upon the coast, the number as per margin.’ Admiral Byng continued the pursuit of the main fleet and came up with it off Cape Passaro. The _Orford_ and _Grafton_ were the foremost ships, and the Spaniards fired their stern chase guns. The order was given not to return the fire unless it was repeated. It was repeated, and the _Orford_ promptly engaged the _Santa Rosa_, of sixty-four guns, and took her. Next the _San Carlos_, of sixty guns, struck to the _Kent_. The _Principe de Asturias_, with the flag of Rear-Admiral Chacon, was dealt with by the _Breda_ and _Captain_. The Spanish Admiral’s flagship, of seventy-four guns, made a running fight until 3 P.M., and then struck to the _Superbe_. Three other ships were taken. Sir George Byng employed the next few days refitting and repairing damages in the prizes. Nine of the Spanish ships escaped, thirteen were taken and became prizes, three were burnt, three sunk. Practically the Spanish fleet ceased to exist.