 One of the British reinforcements cruising in the Central Mediterranean in June was the frigate HMS Seahorse , commanded by Captain Edward Foote . Seahorse was officially rated as a 38 @-@ gun ship , but in reality carried 46 guns , including 14 32 @-@ pounder carronades , very heavy short @-@ range cannon . Foote had been despatched by Earl St. Vincent to join Nelson 's squadron in his hunt for the French and carried on board a number of reinforcements for HMS Culloden , one of Nelson 's ships commanded by Captain Thomas Troubridge . On 26 June 1798 , Seahorse was passing along the southern Sicilian coast in search of information about the whereabouts of the British fleet when at 16 : 00 his lookout sighted a ship . Advancing rapidly , Foote recognised the stranger as a French frigate and prepared for battle . The frigate was Sensible , which was on a northeasterly course from Malta to Toulon when sighted . Bourdé , knowing that his ship was overladen , undermanned and carried only 36 guns , some of which were only 6 @-@ pounders , turned away and sailed south , hoping to outrun his opponent during the night . 
