The storm and the problem of captured prizes

The allied attempt to recover prizes forced damaged British ships to interrupt their repairs and prepare to fight again. Some prizes were retaken, but the sortie also cost the allies more vessels. Collingwood described the subsequent week of storm and salvage as worse than fighting another battle, and he would have surrendered the captures to ensure his own ships survived. He ordered badly damaged prizes burned or sunk when they could neither be saved nor safely left for the enemy. After the battle and storm, only nine ships of the line remained at Cadiz. Rosily found five French ships where he had expected eighteen, and those survivors were later handed over when France and Spain fell out.