 The 1798 China Fleet sailed without further incident . During the ensuing year Resistance was destroyed by an accidental explosion in July in the <unk> Strait , and the majority of <unk> 's forces were focused on disrupting the French occupation of Suez in the Red Sea . This diversion of British resources created gaps in the coverage in merchant shipping and <unk> was able to send the frigate <unk> and <unk> <unk> @-@ <unk> to Manila late in the year to join the repaired Spanish squadron . At the beginning of February <unk> , this combined force sailed to <unk> , taking the British defences by surprise . The British commander Captain William <unk> <unk> , advancing on the Franco @-@ Spanish force which retreated during the day and disappeared under cover of darkness that evening in the <unk> Archipelago . The combined squadron then dispersed and the China Fleet was not attacked again until the Battle of <unk> <unk> in 1804 , at which a French squadron was again driven off in confusion . The frigates Cooke had mimicked , Forte and <unk> were sent to operate independently against British trade in the Indian Ocean in early <unk> . <unk> was captured by HMS <unk> at the Action of 9 February <unk> near Southern Africa , and Forte was intercepted by HMS <unk> under Cooke on 28 February near <unk> in Bengal . In the ensuing battle Forte was captured but Cooke mortally wounded , dying on 25 May . 
