The 1798 China Fleet sailed without further incident . During the ensuing year Resistance was destroyed by an accidental explosion in July in the Bangka Strait , and the majority of Rainier '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 Sercey was able to send the frigate Preneuse and corvette Brûle @-@ Gueule to Manila late in the year to join the repaired Spanish squadron . At the beginning of February 1799 , this combined force sailed to Macau , taking the British defences by surprise . The British commander Captain William Hargood counterattacked , advancing on the Franco @-@ Spanish force which retreated during the day and disappeared under cover of darkness that evening in the Wanshan Archipelago . The combined squadron then dispersed and the China Fleet was not attacked again until the Battle of Pulo Aura in 1804 , at which a French squadron was again driven off in confusion . The frigates Cooke had mimicked , Forte and Prudente were sent to operate independently against British trade in the Indian Ocean in early 1799 . Prudente was captured by HMS Daedalus at the Action of 9 February 1799 near Southern Africa , and Forte was intercepted by HMS Sybille under Cooke on 28 February near Balasore in Bengal . In the ensuing battle Forte was captured but Cooke mortally wounded , dying on 25 May .