The Action of 7 April 1800 was a minor naval engagement fought between a British squadron blockading the Spanish naval base of Cadiz and a convoy of 13 Spanish merchant vessels escorted by three frigates, bound for the Spanish colonies in the Americas. The blockade squadron consisted of the ships of the line HMS Leviathan and HMS Swiftsure and the frigate HMS Emerald, commanded by Rear-Admiral John Thomas Duckworth on Leviathan. The Spanish convoy sailed from Cadiz on 3 April 1800 and was sighted by Duckworth's squadron two days later. The Spanish attempted to escape, pursued by Emerald which succeeded in capturing one ship early on 6 April. A brig was captured the following morning and the British squadron divided in pursuit of the remainder.