▁to ▁prove ▁dis astr ous ▁with ▁British ▁troops ▁being ▁twice ▁defeated ▁in ▁batt les ▁at ▁Ros etta ▁( R ash id , ▁the ▁port ▁that ▁guard ed ▁the ▁entrance ▁to ▁the ▁N ile ), ▁at ▁a ▁cost ▁of ▁over ▁ 9 0 0 ▁officers ▁and ▁men ▁killed ▁and ▁more ▁than ▁ 5 0 0 ▁captured . ▁Con sequently ▁British ▁troops ▁were ▁forced ▁to ▁retre at ▁to ▁Alexand ria , ▁where ▁they ▁remained ▁bes ie ged . ▁After ▁further ▁incon clus ive ▁operations ▁against ▁the ▁Egypt ian ▁forces ▁and ▁being ▁unable ▁to ▁gather ▁supplies , ▁the ▁Ex ped ition ▁was ▁forced ▁to ▁emb ark ▁the ▁trans ports ▁again , ▁and ▁leave ▁Alexand ria , ▁not ▁having ▁gained ▁any ▁significant ▁position ▁of ▁influence ▁in ▁Egypt ▁or ▁reached ▁any ▁specific ▁goals ▁towards ▁influen cing ▁the ▁Ott oman ▁Empire ' s ▁impro ving ▁relations ▁with ▁France . ▁ ▁The ▁Ex ped ition ▁comm ences ▁The ▁Ex ped ition ▁began ▁in ▁mid - F ebru ary ▁ 1 8 0 7 ▁when ▁a ▁force ▁of ▁British ▁troops ▁deployed ▁in ▁Cal ab ria ▁and ▁Sic ily ▁was ▁ordered ▁by ▁General ▁Fox ▁in ▁Mess ina ▁to ▁emb ark ▁on ▁trans ports ▁with ▁a ▁mission ▁rum oured ▁to ▁be ▁dest ined ▁for ▁Constantin ople ▁while ▁John ▁Thomas ▁D uck worth , ▁appointed ▁second ▁in ▁command ▁of ▁the ▁Mediter rane an ▁Fle et , ▁sa iled ▁for ▁Constantin ople , ▁but ▁he ▁failed ▁to ▁provide ▁effective ▁support ▁for ▁D mit ry ▁Sen y av in ' s ▁Imperial ▁Russian ▁Navy ▁in ▁the