"Guipuzcoano" was sailing as the flagship of an escort for a merchant convoy of the company, when they ran into a large British fleet under Admiral Sir George Rodney, bound for the relief of Gibraltar. In a short action Rodney captured the entirety of the convoy and all its escorts, including the "Guipuscoano", which he manned and named in honour of Prince William, sending her back to Britain with some of the merchants.