James Francis Edward Stuart, having been delayed in France by an attack of measles, on March 13, 1708, attempts an invasion, trying to land at the Firth of Forth.

His French ships are driven back by the fleet of George Byng, who had earlier in this year been promoted to full admiral.

Tensions between Spain and Britain are high.

The Treaty of Passarowitz, which had finally ended the war with the Ottoman Empire on July 21, 1718, leads to the formation of the Quadruple Alliance, with the Emperor now joining the Triple Alliance on August 2, 1718.

A British fleet led by Sir George Byng on August 11 effectively eliminates the Spanish fleet stationed off Sicily at the Battle of Cape Passaro.

The British fleet lands a small Austrian army assembled in Naples by the Austrian Viceroy Count Wirich Philipp von Daun, near Messina to lift the siege by the Spanish forces.

The Austrians attack very early in the morning of October 15, taking the Spanish by surprise.

The two Spanish Dragoon regiments (Batavia and Lusitania) stop the attack, to give the rest of the Spanish army time to deploy.

Both regiments are decimated, but their sacrifice gives Lede the opportunity to counterattack.

The Austrians are pushed back and the Spanish pursue the fleeing army, causing many casualties.

The Austrians lose fifteen hundred killed or wounded and three hundred prisoners.

The Spanish loss fifteen hundred killed or wounded and two hundred  prisoners.

Messina is taken by the Spanish, but the Marquis de Lede does not take this opportunity to drive the Austrians completely from the island, leaving them a bridgehead around Milazzo.

This bridgehead, and naval supremacy after the Battle of Cape Passaro, will give the Austrians a chance to send over more troops in the coming year.