Keith, concerned for the undefended base at Menorca, did not steer for Rosas immediately. Instead he first sailed via the island to collect "Ville de Paris", which had left St Vincent at Port Mahon. On 13 June, Keith took over HMS "Queen Charlotte" as his flagship and on 15 June "Ville de Paris" rejoined the fleet, following which Keith turned northwards towards Cape Sicie near Toulon. On 19 June, south of Toulon, the advance squadron of Keith's fleet encountered a squadron of French frigates. This force, consisting of the frigates "Junon", "Alceste" and "Courageuse" and the brigs "Alerte" and "Salamine" was under the command of Contre-Amiral Jean-Baptiste Perrée, sailing to Toulon from Jaffa. The squadron had been protecting French coastal supply convoys during Bonaparte's Syrian Campaign: on 4 May "Salamine" had captured the 10-gun polacre HMS "Fortune" off Jaffa. Ordered to return to France, the squadron had departed Jaffa on 17 May and had almost reached Toulon when it was discovered.