▁was ▁initially ▁given ▁to ▁General ▁Napoleon ▁Bon ap arte , ▁but ▁later ▁passed ▁to ▁General ▁Kil ma ine . ▁Bon ap arte , ▁and ▁then ▁Kil ma ine , ▁prepared ▁for ▁an ▁invasion ▁of ▁Britain ▁and ▁Captain ▁Mus ke in , ▁a ▁naval ▁administrator ▁from ▁Ant werp , ▁was ▁instruct ed ▁to ▁develop ▁a ▁suitable ▁fleet ▁of ▁landing ▁craft ▁to ▁con voy ▁the ▁troops ▁across ▁the ▁English ▁Channel . ▁The ▁French ▁Directory ▁commission ed ▁a ▁Swedish ▁naval ▁architect ▁Fred rik ▁Hen rik ▁af ▁Chap man ▁to ▁design ▁the ▁invasion ▁b arg es ▁and ▁by ▁ 1 7 9 7 ▁ships ▁of ▁his ▁design ▁were ▁under ▁construction ▁along ▁the ▁Northern ▁French ▁coast ▁under ▁Mus ke in ' s ▁super vision : ▁the ▁boats ▁were ▁known ▁to ▁the ▁French ▁soldiers ▁as ▁" b ate aux ▁à ▁la ▁Mus ke in " ▁( Mus ke in - type ▁boats ). ▁ ▁In ▁April ▁ 1 7 9 8 , ▁Mus ke in ▁was ▁ordered ▁to ▁prepare ▁a ▁squad ron ▁of ▁his ▁b arg es ▁for ▁an ▁attack ▁on ▁the ▁Saint ▁Marc ou f ▁Islands . ▁The ▁operation ▁was ▁intended ▁simultaneously ▁to ▁er ad icate ▁the ▁British ▁g arrison ▁and ▁restore ▁French ▁control ▁of ▁the ▁ra iding ▁base , ▁test ▁the ▁effect iveness ▁of ▁the ▁b arg es ▁in ▁a ▁military ▁am ph ib ious ▁operation , ▁and ▁focus ▁British ▁naval ▁attention ▁on ▁the ▁English ▁Channel ▁and ▁away ▁from ▁Bon ap arte ' s ▁prepar ations ▁at ▁Toul on ▁for ▁the ▁invasion ▁of ▁Egypt . ▁On ▁