incident incident encounter powerful french_navy frigate squadron convoy east merchant ships january incident took place campaign french revolutionary wars repeated french attempts disrupt highly valuable british trade routes large squadron french frigates arrived indian_ocean command july force sailed commerce raiding cruise subsequent attack driven inconclusive engagement british ships line northeastern sumatra forced repairs took squadron allied city january left valuable annual british trade convoy portuguese treaty port sail convoy worth millions pounds capture seriously harm british economy british commander region admiral split convoy taking ships heavy escort remaining east sailed supposedly safer january entrance near coast java convoy discovered squadron british commander knew fled ships rapidly overwhelmed instead attempted bluff believing convoy formed lightly armed east powerful ships line resembled ordered ships advance french retreated convinced facing superior enemy momentarily reconsider british ships declined attack temporarily disabled frigate eventually withdrew completely retiring base mauritius learned error reached destination ship lost wrecked storm day encounter background trade vital component economy great_britain late eighteenth century trade administered maintained trading ports region notably british india bombay madras calcutta main bulk carried large merchant ships known east weighed long tons traveled armed carrying cannon size weaponry mistaken ships line standard large warships period deception usually augmented dummy cannon despite appearance fight enemy frigate ship line guns inferior design crew smaller trained naval ship important component trade annual trade convoy portuguese port dynasty china early year large convoy east sail indian_ocean atlantic britain value trade carried convoy nicknamed enormous convoy reported carrying goods worth million contemporary values equivalent britain new engaged french revolutionary wars nearly years fighting europe remained largely british control french forces region limited apart raiding cruises french squadron region intermittent blockade royal_navy commanded eastern waters rear admiral focused commerce protection elimination colonies french allied capturing dutch cape colony parts dutch_east_indies engaged local uprisings campaign forces left reserve protect british interests indian_ocean response british activity region reluctance inhabitants follow orders slavery french dispatched squadron frigates early force led originally comprised frigates subsequently joined vessels forming powerful raiding squadron july frigates cruised ceylon coast attacking ports false information fed scouts british battle squadron anchor calcutta turning eastwards hoped raid driven inconclusive engagement british squadron sumatra september spent winter harbour java presence known committee requested assistance british admiral sailed flagship gun ship line sloop hms swift december met east smaller country ships regional trade elected sail immediately waiting remainder convoy assemble escorting small convoy january reaching madras february thought likely point ambush french squadron orders issued committee remainder convoy originally commanded captain captain sail thought safer meet learned british plans altered accordingly sailing january cruised search china convoy wary searching turn january ships passed bad weather sails sighted immediately ordered frigate captain approaching ships led convoy directly path french squadron frigates easily powerful east british officer aware win naval engagement force instead resolved bluff french thinking merchant convoy squadron ships line saw approaching brought ships forward meet frigate gambling low light mistake east warships compounded ruse raising blue ensign flagship instructing rest convoy raise deception convincing turned away short british convoy signalling est forces enemy superior force french turned squadron away passing close flagship british ships comprised battle squadron ships line frigates lost main early stages retreat noted british ships pursuing expected superior force encountering weaker declaration convinced outnumbered ordered squadron withdraw orders battle aftermath turned convoy westwards bringing ships safely indian_ocean exception east ocean storm drove reef islands day incident men drowned evacuation local inhabitants killed seven february attack survivors departed hired days later reaching safely february damaged storm forced repairs took board survivors ocean eventually reached disabled state months later british commander given thanks awarded retired frigates learned horror opportunity missed squadron required extensive repairs remained rebellious attempts abolish slavery denied ships men food supplies eventually forced squadron sending frigates france seven years incident early napoleonic wars larger attacked strong french naval squadron battle british commander managed convince french admiral warships convoy french retired brief exchange gunfire
Bali Strait Incident