Rodney missed the First Battle of Cape Finisterre because Eagle was escorting captured prizes to Ireland rather than sailing with Anson's battlefleet. Her absence shows why paper fleet strength overstated the force an admiral could bring to action. Ships refitting at home might remove a quarter or third of the nominal total, and prize escorts reduced the force further. A command allotted sixty ships against forty French opponents could therefore meet a fully mobilized enemy with only about thirty immediately available.
Notable Point · 48:11-49:44
Why Eagle missed the First Battle of Cape Finisterre
Eagle's absence while escorting prizes shows how refits, detached duties, and prize-taking could reduce a nominal fleet to half its paper strength.