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AMBUSCADE (40) The French L'EMBUSCADE taken on 21 April 1746.
Sold in 1762.

  • 1747 Capt. John MONTAGU.
    With a squadron under Vice Ad. George ANSON and Rear Ad. Peter WARREN which had sailed from England on 9 April to intercept a French squadron with which the Marquis de LA JONQUIERE planned to recover Cape Breton.
    A French East India Co. squadron under Capt. Grou de St. GEORGES which was sailing to attack Coromandel had put into Isle d'Aix roads to escape bad weather and British cruisers. LA JONQUIERE joined him and they sailed together with a convoy on 29 April to find the British squadron waiting for them off Cape Finisterre. Although LA JONQUIERE had 38 sail, only a few were of any force. He ordered the 12 best to form a line of battle ahead, while the rest did their best to escape to the westward. ANSON made a signal to form a battle line but changed it to general chase when WARREN saw that the French force was not so formidable as first thought. After a running fight of three hours all the ships in the French line struck, some fought bravely, the others were only interested in saving themselves. ANSON sent three of his ships after the convoy and they captured three warships and six transports. All the warships taken, and the Indiaman THETIS, were purchased for the Royal Navy and specie to the value of 200,000 pounds was found.
  • 1759 Capt. Richard GWYNN. Gibraltar. With Ad. BOSCAWEN's fleet.
  • 1762 The Admiralty sold AMBUSCADE together with KINGSTON (50) (renamed LORD CLIVE) to a group of British merchant adventurers and noblemen who planned to attack Buenos Ayres.
    With two Portuguese ships, carrying 500 soldiers, and five storeships they sailed from Rio de Janeiro to enter the River Plate on 2 November but found the Spaniards too strong for them. In a second attempt on 6 January 1763 LORD CLIVE was completely burnt and 272 out of 350 were killed, including Mr Macnamara of the Hon. East India Co. who commanded the expedition. A badly damaged AMBUSCADE just managed to make it back to Rio.


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