ains , ▁Richard ▁St ay ner , ▁destroyed ▁most ▁of ▁the ▁Spanish ▁plate ▁fleet ▁at ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁C ád iz . ▁A ▁g alle on ▁of ▁tre asure ▁was ▁captured , ▁and ▁the ▁overall ▁loss ▁to ▁Spain ▁was ▁estimated ▁at ▁£ 2 , 0 0 0 , 0 0 0 . ▁Bla ke ▁maintained ▁the ▁block ade ▁throughout ▁the ▁winter , ▁the ▁first ▁time ▁the ▁fleet ▁had ▁stayed ▁at ▁sea ▁over ▁winter . ▁ ▁On ▁ 2 0 ▁April ▁ 1 6 5 7 ▁Bla ke ▁totally ▁destroyed ▁another ▁armed ▁merchant ▁con voy , ▁the ▁Spanish ▁West ▁Indian ▁fleet , ▁in ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Santa ▁Cruz ▁de ▁T ener ife   – ▁a ▁port ▁so ▁well ▁fort ified ▁that ▁it ▁was ▁thought ▁to ▁be ▁im pre gn able ▁to ▁attack ▁from ▁the ▁sea   – ▁for ▁the ▁loss ▁of ▁just ▁one ▁ship . ▁Although ▁the ▁silver ▁had ▁already ▁been ▁land ed , ▁Bla ke ' s ▁victory ▁delayed ▁its ▁arrival ▁at ▁the ▁royal ▁tre as ury ▁of ▁the ▁Spanish ▁government ▁and ▁earned ▁the ▁new ▁English ▁Navy ▁respect ▁throughout ▁Europe . ▁As ▁a ▁reward ▁Bla ke ▁was ▁given ▁an ▁expensive ▁diam ond ▁ring ▁by ▁C rom well . ▁The ▁action ▁also ▁earned ▁him ▁respect ▁ 1 4 0 ▁years ▁later ▁from ▁Lord ▁Nelson ▁who ▁lost ▁his ▁arm ▁there ▁in ▁a ▁failed ▁attack ; ▁in ▁a ▁letter ▁written ▁on ▁ 1 7 ▁April ▁ 1 7 9 7 , ▁to ▁Admir al ▁Sir ▁John ▁Jer vis , ▁Nelson ▁wrote ▁" I ▁do ▁not ▁reck