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.

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.

[1][2] 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.

[2] 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.