The same gale, while keeping back the French already in Brest, gave the chance to a small squadron under M.
Bompart, which was expected from the West Indies, to slip in during Hawke's absence.

Conflans made his preparations with activity, distributed Bompart's crews among his own ships, which were not very well manned, and got to sea with an easterly wind on the 14th.

He stood at once to the southward, flattering himself that he had escaped Hawke.

The latter, however, had sailed from Torbay on the 12th; and though again driven back, sailed a second time on the 14th, the same day that Conflans left Brest.

He soon readied his station, learned that the enemy had been seen to the southward steering east, and easily concluding that they were bound to Quiberon Bay, shaped his own course for the same place under a press of sail.