Both admirals lost control of parts of their forces, but the deeper shared problem was acting without a reliable picture of the enemy. At Algeciras, the missing Superb mattered less than the absent frigate Thames, whose scouting and boat support could have improved Saumarez's information and coordination. The second Algeciras action then showed how a smaller British force with better supporting vessels and tactical awareness could reverse the result.
Notable Point · 2:34:51-2:38:18
Intelligence, not ship totals, links the two defeats
Faulty information was the common failure behind Grenada and the first Battle of Algeciras.