Action of 31 March 1800 fleet anchored in Aboukir Bay to support the troops ashore and was surprised and almost completely destroyed on 1 August by a British fleet under Rear-Admiral Sir Horatio Nelson. Only two ships of the line and two frigates escaped the Battle of the Nile from the 17 French ships that participated in the action. Of the survivors, the ship of the line "Généreux" sailed for Corfu while "Guillaume Tell", under Contre-amiral Pierre-Charles Villeneuve, reached Malta with the two frigates. When Villeneuve arrived at Malta in September 1798, the island was already in turmoil: the dissolution of the Roman Catholic Church
Mediterranean campaign of 1798 month and presented Troubridge with a French merchant ship that was anchored in the harbour. With their first definite sighting of the French, the British fleet turned southwards towards Alexandria. On 1 August, Nelson's fleet reached the Egyptian coast, the ships HMS "Swiftsure" and HMS "Alexander" detached as scouts to investigate Alexandria harbour. Although the transport fleet was observed in the harbour, the French battle fleet was not. Despite initial disappointment, Nelson ordered his ships to search the coastline, and at 14:00 lookouts on HMS "Zealous" reported the French anchored in line of battle in Aboukir Bay. Brueys believed that