First Battle of Cape Finisterre (1747)

The first battle at Cape Finisterre is the naval battle at Cape Finisterre between the British and French fleets during the War of the Austrian Succession ; took place on May 14, 1747 .

The first battle of Cape Finisterre
Main Conflict: War of the Austrian Succession
date	May 14, 1747
A place	Cape Finisterre Spain
Total	victory of the Anglo-Dutch troops
Opponents
England France
Commanders
Admiral George Anson Admiral Jacques-Pierre de Taffanel, Marquis de La Jonquiere
Forces of the parties
14 battleships 1 frigate 1 firewall 4 battleships 2 frigates 30 merchant ships
Losses
520 killed 700 killed 4 battleships 2 frigates 7 merchant ships 3,000 captured

Admiral Anson on the flagship “Prince George” and Rear Admiral Sir Peter Warren on the “Devonshire” left April 9, 1747 from the port of Plymouth to intercept the French ships. Soon they noticed a large French convoy, Anson gave the order to accept combat formation; they overtook the ship closing the French line, attacked it and captured it. The French resisted until 7 p.m., but nevertheless, as a result of numerical superiority and maneuvering, the British managed to capture all the French warships, as well as 7 merchant ships from the West Indies . The captured vessels were credited to the Royal Navy of Great Britain , and the total amount of production amounted to 300,000 pounds .

As a result of the battle, the French lost 700 people killed and 3,000 people were captured, the British lost 520 people killed.

After this battle, Admiral Anson was promoted to vice admiral , and also received the rank of peer .

After this battle, the French Maritime Ministry was convinced that the old strategy for convoying trade caravans had exhausted itself. However, the French naval minister Earl Morep ordered to increase the number and firepower of escort ships, which provoked the second naval battle in October 1747 in almost the same place, which became the last naval clash in the war for the Austrian inheritance.