 On 8 January 1780 ships from Rodney 's fleet spotted a group of sails . Giving chase with their faster copper @-@ clad ships , the British determined these to be a Spanish supply convoy that was protected by a single ship of the line and several frigates . The entire convoy was captured , with the lone ship of the line , Guipuzcoana , striking her colours after a perfunctory exchange of fire . Guipuzcoana was staffed with a small prize crew and renamed HMS Prince William , in honour of Prince William , the third son of the King , who was serving as midshipman in the fleet . Rodney then detached HMS America and the frigate HMS Pearl to escort most of the captured ships back to England ; the Prince William was added to his fleet , as were some of the supply ships that carried items likely to be of use to the Gibraltar garrison . On 12 January HMS Dublin , which had lost part of her topmast on 3 January , suffered additional damage and raised a distress flag . Assisted by HMS Shrewsbury , she limped into Lisbon on 16 January . 
