During 1795 the French Mediterranean fleet, still recovering from the damage inflicted during the Siege of Toulon in 1793, was blockaded in harbour. The British Mediterranean Fleet under Admiral William Hotham, based at San Fiorenzo on Corsica, maintained a loose blockade of the French fleet base at Toulon and pursued the French when they attempted to emerge. In March 1795 the French fleet under Pierre Martin sailed into the Gulf of Genoa and was caught by the British fleet at the Battle of Genoa, losing two ships before Martin could escape British pursuit.