Second battle of Cape Finisterre (1747)
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Second battle of Cape Finisterre
Part of the War of the Austrian Succession
Date 25 October 1747
Location Off Cape Finisterre
Result Decisive British victory
Belligerents
Flag of the United Kingdom Great Britain Flag of France1 France
Commanders
Admiral Sir Edward Hawke Admiral Desherbiers de l'Etenduère
Strength
14 ships of the line 8 ships of the line, assorted merchantmen
Casualties and losses
No ships lost 6 ships of the line captured
v • d • e
Mollwitz – Chotusitz – Dettingen – Toulon – Pfaffenhofen – Fontenoy – Hohenfriedberg – Soor – Hennersdorf – Kesselsdorf – Rocoux – 1st Finisterre – Lauffeld – 2nd Finisterre – Havana

The Second Battle of Cape Finisterre was a naval battle which took place on 25 October 1747 (14 October 1747 in the Julian calendar then in use in Britain) during the War of the Austrian Succession, in the Bay of Biscay off Cape Finisterre in northwest Spain between a well-appointed British fleet of fourteen ships of the line commanded by Admiral Sir Edward Hawke and a French convoy, protected by a squadron of eight French ships of the line commanded by Admiral Desherbiers de l'Etenduère, which it intercepted. It was a decisive British victory, and put an end to French naval operations for the remainder of the war.

It was a convoy action similar to the First Battle of Cape Finisterre, 14 May 1747.

The French made a very gallant resistance, and the fine quality of their ships enabled them to counteract to some extent the superior numbers of the British. The British gradually overhauled the French ships and captured them. The Comte de Vaudreuil in Intrépide, first in the French line, turned back to help his admiral, allowing both ships to escape, but all the others were captured.

While the warships were engaged, the French merchant vessels, with the protection of Castor 26 and Content 64, which Desherbiers could spare, continued on their way to the West Indies. Most of them were, however, intercepted and captured in those waters.

This disaster convinced the French government of its helplessness at sea, and it made no further efforts to fight convoys through the British blockade.

Ships involved:

Contents

Britain (Edward Hawke)

Devonshire 64/66 (flag)
Kent 74
Edinburgh 70
Yarmouth 64
Monmouth 64
Princess Louisa 60
Windsor 60
Lion 60
Tilbury 60
Nottingham 60
Defiance 60
Eagle 60
Gloucester 50
Portland 50
some frigates
Weazel (sloop)??

France (des Herbieres de l'Etenduère)

Intrépide 74 (Comte de Vaudreuil)
Trident 64 (Marquis d'Amblimont) - Captured
Terrible 74 (Comte du Guay) - Captured
Tonnant 80 (flag)
Monarque 74 (de la Bédoyère) - Captured
Severn 50/56 (du Rouret de Saint-Estève) - Captured
Fougueux 64 (du Vignau) - Captured
Neptune 70/74 - Captured
Castor 26
Content 64
convoy of 252 ships

See also

References

  1. ^ George Ripley, Charles Anderson Dana, The American Cyclopaedia, New York, 1874, p. 250, "...the standard of France was white, sprinkled with golden fleur de lis...". *[1]The original Banner of France was strewn with fleurs-de-lis. *[2]:on the reverse of this plate it says: "Le pavillon royal était véritablement le drapeau national au dix-huitième siecle...Vue du chateau d'arrière d'un vaisseau de guerre de haut rang portant le pavillon royal (blanc, avec les armes de France)."[3] from the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica: "The oriflamme and the Chape de St Martin were succeeded at the end of the 16th century, when Henry III., the last of the house of Valois, came to the throne, by the white standard powdered with fleurs-de-lis. This in turn gave place to the famous tricolour."

Bibliography

  • A History of the French Navy (1973)
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