Sailing Self_motion in `` Sybille '' and accompanied by Captain Pulteney Malcolm in `` Fox '' , Cooke reached Arriving the Spanish capital on 13 January 1798 .

During the night , the British commander , Captain Pulteney Malcolm , sent Sending his ship 's boats close inshore to attack Attack the French ships with Congreve rockets , a newly issued weapon .

To blockade Besieging these squadrons , the Royal Navy 's Channel Fleet had assigned Request the ships of the line HMS `` Donegal '' under Captain Pulteney Malcolm and HMS `` Revenge '' under Captain Charles Paget to patrol Patrolling the entrance to Cherbourg , while frigates HMS `` Diana '' under Captain Charles Grant and HMS `` Niobe '' under Captain John Wentworth Loring kept watch Scrutiny on Le Havre .