She participated in two notable incidents in which East Indiamen bluffed superior French naval forces from engaging.

In January 1797, on her third voyage, in the Bali Strait Alfred and five other Indiamen sent off a French squadron of six frigates without a shot being fired.

Captain James Farquharson sailed from Torbay on 2 February 1791, bound for St Helena, Madras, and China.

War with France broke out in 1793, so following the EIC's standard operating procedure on 22 February 1794 Farquharson received a letter of marque.

[3] The British government held her at Portsmouth, together with a number of other Indiamen in anticipation of using them as transports for an attack on Île de France (Mauritius).

Homeward bound, Alfred crossed the Second Bar on 9 June, reached the Cape on 2 December and St Helena on 3 January 1798, and arrived at Gravesend on 3 April.

Homeward bound, she crossed the Second Bar on 27 February, reached St Helena on 15 July, and arrived at Northfleet on 30 September.

Homeward bound she crossed the Second Bar on 20 March, reached St Helena on 10 July, and arrived at Northfleet on 17 September.

The Royal Navy was unable to provide an escort and the captains of the EIC's China Fleet debated about setting out for home.

On 14 February 1804, the China Fleet, under the command of Commodore Nathaniel Dance, intimidated, drove off and chased a powerful French naval squadron at Pulo Aura.

Dance's aggressive tactics persuaded Contre-Admiral Charles-Alexandre Durand Linois to retire after only a brief exchange of fire.

[1] On 28 February, the British ships of the line HMS Sceptre and Albion joined the Fleet in the Strait and conducted them safely to Saint Helena in the South Atlantic.

Saving the convoy prevented both the EIC and Lloyd's of London from likely financial ruin, the repercussions of which would have had profound effects across the British Empire.

Homeward bound she crossed the Second Bar on 25 December, reached St Helena on 16 May 1811, and arrived at Northfleet on 13 August.