The action of 8 May 1744[a] was a minor naval engagement of the War of the Austrian Succession in which two French ships of the line, the 60-gun Content, and the 64-gun Mars, captured the British 70-gun HMS Northumberland after a desperate action lasting four hours.

[2] On 8 May, Vice-Admiral Sir Charles Hardy's squadron cruising off Berlengas discovered a sail to the north, and the Northumberland was ordered to chase in that direction.

[4] The French ships were much separated;[3] and at 5 pm Northumberland caught up with the stern most, which proved to be the Mars.

After nine hours of fighting by the Northumberland was rendered wholly unmanageable, and having had her wheel knocked to pieces, the ship flew up into the wind.

At the same time Captain Watson was mortally wounded; and the master of the ship, who was later court-martialled and sentenced to life imprisonment,[5] struck the British colours.