First Battle of Cape Finisterre

14 May 1747, Off Cape Finisterre, Spain

British victory; the whole French escort captured

Vice-Admiral George Anson, with Rear-Admiral Peter Warren, caught a French convoy bound for Canada and India, escorted by the Marquis de la Jonquière with a few ships of the line and armed East Indiamen. La Jonquière formed a line to let the convoy escape, but Anson, at Warren's urging, made the signal for a general chase instead of forming his own line, and his faster ships fell on the French one after another. By evening every French warship and armed Indiaman in the line had been taken, and over £300,000 in coin with them. Anson was made a peer.