Moore was soon found another ship, being appointed in 1747 to HMS "Devonshire". "Devonshire" was serving as the flagship of Rear-Admiral Edward Hawke. Moore was therefore present for Hawke's autumn cruise in the Bay of Biscay, and was present at the Second Battle of Cape Finisterre on 14 October, where Hawke defeated a French fleet under Admiral Desherbiers de l'Etenduère on 14 October. Moore appears to have acquitted himself in the battle, for Hawke entrusted him with taking the dispatches back to Britain. He also wrote 'I have sent this express by Captain Moore of the Devonshire … It would be doing great injustice to merit not to say that he signalized himself greatly in the action' During the period of peace that followed the end of the War of the Austrian Succession Moore was appointed to command the yacht HMY "William &amp; Mary", followed by a return to the "Devonshire" in April 1756.