The division then established a blockade to complete the Siege of Acre. On 14 May, two enemy ships of the line and a frigate, under Sidney Smith, chased the frigate squadron, which quickly eluded its pursuers. Despite specific orders not to go to Europe unless it was unavoidable, Perrée conferred with his officers and decided that his low supplies made it necessary for him to return to Toulon, via Lampedusa, where he would replenish his water. Sixty miles from Toulon, on 17 June 1799, Perrée's division spotted a 30-ship fleet under Lord Keith. A task force of three 74-gun ships of the line and two frigates, all under Captain John Markham on "Centaur", separated from the main British body to give chase. As the wind blew only very weakly from the south-west, the chase lasted all of 28 hours, and it was not until the next evening that the two groups came in contact. Over the course of the chase, the French squadron, sailing to the north-west, lost its cohesion. By the evening, "Junon" and "Alceste" sailed together within hailing range of each other, while "Courageuse" tacked one mile off her flagship; the brigs "Salamine" and were respectively four and seven miles ahead of "Junon". At 19:00, Thompson's 74-gun , closely followed by and two frigates, came within a quarter-mile of "Junon". When "Bellona" opened fire, "Junon" and "Alceste" immediately struck. Meanwhile, HMS "Centaur" had come up on "Courageuse" and commenced firing on her. After securing the surrender of "Junon" and "Alceste", HMS "Bellona" turned to "Courageuse" and soon joined in the action. Threatened by two 74-guns, "Courageuse" struck. A while later, HMS "Emerald" overhauled "Salamine" and secured her surrender. "Captain" similarly forced "Alerte" to strike at 23:30. "Lloyd's List" reported on 26 July that Lord Keith's squadron in the Mediterranean had captured "Alceste" (of 36 guns and 460 men), "Juno" (of 44 guns and 560 men), "Courageuse" (of 44 guns and 500 men), and two corvettes of 16 guns each.