▁le ew ard ▁while ▁the ▁French ▁sa iled ▁close - h au led ▁in ▁a ▁line ▁ahead , ▁expecting ▁that ▁he ▁would ▁eng age ▁in ▁a ▁long - range ▁art illery ▁du el . ▁Instead , ▁Haw ke ▁made ▁the ▁signal ▁for ▁a ▁general ▁ch ase , ▁free ing ▁his ▁capt ains ▁from ▁the ▁constraints ▁of ▁a ▁formal ▁battle ; ▁the ▁British ▁then ▁over h au led ▁the ▁French ▁line ▁and ▁en velop ed ▁it ▁from ▁rear ▁to ▁van , ▁capt uring ▁six ▁ships . ▁Ar ound ▁ 4 , 0 0 0 ▁French ▁sail ors ▁were ▁captured ▁or ▁killed , ▁against ▁ 7 5 7 ▁British ▁cas ual ties . ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁battle ▁the ▁merchant ▁con voy , ▁and ▁the ▁remaining ▁two ▁French ▁naval ▁vessels , ▁had ▁escaped ▁to ▁the ▁west ▁with ▁the ▁intention ▁of ▁reaching ▁the ▁French ▁Car ib bean . ▁We az el ▁had ▁been ▁too ▁small ▁to ▁join ▁the ▁line ▁of ▁battle ▁the ▁previous ▁day , ▁but ▁Admir al ▁Haw ke ▁now ▁deput ised ▁her ▁to ▁sail ▁in ▁has te ▁for ▁the ▁Royal ▁Navy ' s ▁J ama ica ▁Station ▁with ▁a ▁message ▁advis ing ▁the ▁likely ▁course ▁of ▁the ▁French ▁con voy . ▁We az el ▁reached ▁the ▁Car ib bean ▁before ▁most ▁of ▁the ▁French ▁con voy ; ▁the ▁Royal ▁Navy ▁squad ron ▁based ▁in ▁the ▁Le ew ard ▁Islands ▁put ▁immediately ▁to ▁sea ▁and ▁was ▁successful ▁in ▁intercept ing ▁ 4 0 ▁French ▁ships ▁and ▁taking ▁ 9 0 0 ▁prisoners . ▁ ▁During ▁the