 Once there, Willoughby hoped to defeat them or damage them so severely that they would be unable to break out unaided, thus isolating Duperré's squadron from Hamelin's force in Port Napoleon and containing the French in separate harbours to prevent them from concentrating against the British blockade squadrons.Willoughby brought "Nereide" close to Île de la Passe to combine their fire and protect his boats, which were carrying 160 men back to "Nereide" from a raid near Grand Port that morning.Raising a French tricolour over Île de la Passe and on "Nereide", Willoughby transmitted the French code captured on the island