▁at ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Cape ▁Cher ch ell , ▁when ▁a ▁series ▁of ▁tact ical ▁errors ▁on ▁the ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁republic an ▁command ▁allowed ▁re bel ▁cru iser ▁ ▁to ▁escape , ▁Luis ▁González ▁de ▁U bi eta ▁became ▁the ▁Captain ▁general ▁of ▁the ▁fleet ▁and ▁h ither to ▁commander ▁Miguel ▁Bu iza ▁Fernández - P ala cios ▁was ▁rel ieved ▁of ▁his ▁duties . ▁President ▁Manuel ▁A za ña ▁could ▁not ▁hide ▁his ▁disappoint ment , ▁acknowled ging ▁in ▁his ▁mem ories ▁the ▁inde cis iveness ▁of ▁the ▁former ▁commander ▁of ▁the ▁Spanish ▁Republican ▁Navy ▁despite ▁having ▁a ▁greater ▁number ▁of ▁ships . ▁The ▁fact , ▁however ▁was ▁that ▁both ▁command ers ▁of ▁the ▁fleet ▁were ▁only ▁in ▁their ▁th irt ies ▁and ▁had ▁been ▁hurried ly ▁promoted ▁by ▁Def ence ▁Minister ▁Ind ale cio ▁Pri eto ▁ow ing ▁to ▁the ▁lack ▁of ▁loyal ▁top ▁officers . ▁ ▁Under ▁Luis ▁González ▁de ▁U bi eta ' s ▁command ▁the ▁Republican ▁Navy ▁concentr ated ▁in ▁the ▁protection ▁of ▁mar itime ▁con vo ys ▁that ▁were ▁supp lying ▁the ▁intern ation ally ▁isolated ▁Spanish ▁Republic , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁in ▁the ▁training ▁of ▁naval ▁officers ▁and ▁their ▁ships ' ▁cre ws . ▁ ▁In ▁March ▁ 1 9 3 8 , ▁however , ▁B ale ares , ▁accompanied ▁by ▁five ▁re bel ▁destroy ers , ▁was ▁engaged ▁again ▁by ▁the ▁Republican ▁Navy ▁off ▁in ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Cape ▁Pal os , ▁off ▁Cart ag ena ' s ▁sh ores . ▁During ▁the ▁g