So the United Kingdom had to do everything in its power to prevent France from occupying Egypt.
Historically, after learning that Napoleon had landed in Egypt, the United Kingdom had immediately dispatched Nelson to lead a fleet to Egypt. At the Battle of Aboukir Bay, he destroyed eleven French Navy battleships and killed the commander, Bruix, cutting off Napoleon's retreat.
At present, the English Fleet possessed forty-five Steam Warships—limited by insufficient Steam Engine supplies, this was only 60 percent of the Navy Department's planned output. Though fewer than the French Navy's sixty, they were enough to shield the main battleships from harassment by French Steam Warships.
This allowed the British Mediterranean Fleet, with its superior number of third-rate and larger battleships, to regain the strength to enter the Mediterranean Sea.
After that, all they needed to do was cut off the supply lines of the French Army that had landed in Egypt, and the French would have no choice but to abandon Egypt.
The United Kingdom could even use the opportunity to extend its influence there.
Of course, compared with Egypt, Gibraltar was the empire's most vital strategic core. First, they had to ensure that supplies reached this place. Pike anxiously folded away the Navy Department's orders as the Victory beneath his feet began to slow.
He came onto the deck and, without even needing a Telescope, saw smoke shrouding the area around Gibraltar Fortress.
Dozens of Sloops carrying British Marines had already reached shore. Several hundred men within the fortress had also gathered along the mountain slopes, preparing to attack the Franco-Spanish Allied Forces' artillery positions.
Barely ten minutes later, French shells began falling onto the landing beach.
This was the work of 32-pound Howitzers.
At high elevation, these long-barreled heavy guns had a range of up to 2.5