When he saw scattered sails in the distance at 03:00 on 13 March 1806 , he decided Deciding to investigate Scrutiny in his ship of the line `` Marengo '' , in the hope that the ships would again prove Know to be a merchant convoy .

The French Navy sought to disrupt Hindering British trade by intercepting Know and capturing Conquering merchant ships with roving frigates , a strategy countered Response by protecting British convoys with heavier warships , particularly in European waters .

The Royal Navy forces in the Indian Ocean were deployed Arranging elsewhere and so the East India Company , the private enterprise that ruled much of British India in the 1790s and maintained Statement their own fleet and navy , raised Cause_change_of_position_on_a_scale a squadron of armed Bearing_arms merchant ships to patrol the Strait and drive Self_motion off the raiders .

The convoy of 70 British merchant vessels left Departing Malmö Roads under the escort of three Royal Navy brigs and one bomb vessel .

Still , her resistance enabled Preventing_or_letting most of the merchant fleet to escape Escaping .

The Dano-Norwegian force captured Conquering 12 or 13 merchant vessels , plus `` Turbulent '' .

While the main fleets manoeuvered Hold around one another , `` Castor '' was detached in pursuit of a Dutch merchant ship and on 29 May encountered Hostile_encounter the smaller independently cruising British frigate HMS `` Carysfort '' .

The Spaniards captured Conquering 55 of the 63 British merchant vessels , making it Causation one of the most complete naval captures ever made Manufacturing .