▁D ard an elles ▁Operation . ▁After ▁departure ▁from ▁Constantin ople , ▁as ▁an ▁Admir al ▁of ▁the ▁White ▁Squadron ▁he ▁was ▁to ▁rende z vous ▁with ▁the ▁trans ports ▁in ▁Ab ou kir ▁Bay . ▁However , ▁by ▁ 1 7 ▁March ▁the ▁fleet ▁of ▁trans ports ▁with ▁nearly ▁ 6 , 0 0 0 ▁British ▁troops ▁emb ark ed ▁on ▁board ▁approached ▁off ▁Alexand ria ▁under ▁the ▁command ▁of ▁General ▁Alexander ▁Mack en zie - F ras er . ▁ ▁Occ up ation ▁of ▁Alexand ria ▁ ▁The ▁appearance ▁of ▁the ▁British ▁trans ports ▁off ▁Alexand ria ▁was ▁unexpected , ▁and ▁ 2 0 ▁March ▁HMS ▁Tig re ▁was ▁able ▁to ▁take ▁two ▁Ott oman ▁fr ig ates , ▁Uri ▁Bah ar ▁( 4 0 ▁guns ) ▁and ▁Uri ▁Nas ard ▁( 3 4 ▁guns ), ▁and ▁the ▁cor v ette ▁F ara ▁N uma ▁( 1 6 ▁guns ) ▁on ▁ 2 0 ▁March . ▁ ▁, ▁with ▁nin ete en ▁other ▁trans ports , ▁had ▁separated ▁from ▁the ▁main ▁force ▁on ▁ 7 ▁March . ▁They ▁did ▁not ▁particip ate ▁during ▁the ▁initial ▁land ings . ▁ ▁The ▁city ▁g arrison ▁at ▁this ▁time ▁consisted ▁of ▁Alban ian ▁troops , ▁which ▁the ▁French ▁Cons ul - General ▁Bern and ino ▁D rov etti ▁attempted ▁to ▁force ▁to ▁rep el ▁the ▁British ▁landing ▁west ▁of ▁the ▁city . ▁Despite ▁the ▁high ▁sur f , ▁almost ▁ 7 0 0 ▁troops ▁with ▁five ▁field ▁guns , ▁along ▁with ▁ 5 6