Sir Charles Knowles, who had been promoted to rear-admiral of the white on 15 July 1747, and appointed as commander in chief on the Jamaica station,[6] prepared in 1748 an expedition with the aim of recover from the setbacks suffered during the previous stages of the war by attacking the Spanish trade and protecting their own.

[9] The afternoon of 28 March, having been joined by HMS Lenox and the frigates Vainqueur, Vulture, and the tender Sharp, the British squadron arrived in sight of the Cuban coast.

[10] Dent, whose Plymouth has been selected to lead the attack, was ordered to shoot the pilot or throw him overboard if he raised any objections.

[13] Canterbury was decided to be anchored off the end of the Apostle's battery to help the leading ships by shelling the Spanish fortifications with a 10-inch mortar taken at Fort Louis and mounted upon her quarterdeck.

[11] After having his ships refitted Knowles sailed on a cruise, hoping to intercept the Spanish treasure fleet off Cuba.

On 30 September he fell in with HMS Lenox, under Captain Charles Holmes, who reported that he had encountered a Spanish fleet some days earlier.

Though the Battle of Havana ended with the capture of one Spanish ship and another being badly damaged, it was not the major British victory hoped for.