Action of 26 May 1789

The action of 26 May 1789 was a minor naval engagement fought off Algiers, Mediterranean Sea, in which a small Portuguese division, commanded by coronel do mar José de Melo Breyner, spotted an Algerian xebec accompanied by a captured French ship, the Le Désir, of which he was forced to abandon and flee, pursued by the Portuguese brigantine Lebre.

Background
The Strait Squadron was a squadron which almost annually was sent by the Portuguese Navy to patrol the Strait of Gibraltar and the Mediterranean Sea, organized in 1520 by King Manuel I of Portugal, escorting and protecting Portuguese and allied ships in the region from enemies, especially Barbary pirates.

On 18 April 1789, the Strait Squadron, commanded by coronel do mar José de Melo Breyner, departed from Lisbon, it was constituted by one ship of the line, two frigates, two brigantines and one cutter. Those were: In May, or in the beginning of June, a division of the Strait Squadron, constituted by the ship of the line Nossa Senhora da Conceição, of 90 guns, by one of the frigates and by the brigantine Lebre, of 24 guns, went to cross to the vicinity of Algiers.

Action
Shortly afterwards, they found an Algerian xebec of 26 guns who returned to the base accompanied by a French ship, the Le Désir, which he had seized. Immediately attacked by the Portuguese ships, he was forced to let go of his prey and flee to Algiers pursued by the Lebre. The Algerian xebec took refuge along the coast under the shelter of the fortresses. After a few hours of exchanging fire, with no possibility of approaching the xebec, given the shallow water depth in the area and the arrival of two galleys and four launches from Algiers, the Portuguese ended up withdrawing.

Aftermath
The French ship was sent to Lisbon, under the escort of the Lebre, and then handed over to the consul of France. He entered Lisbon on 15 (or 19) June, and left it again on 24 June, towards the Strait of Gibraltar.