Commerce first appeared in Lloyd's Register (LR) in 1791 with J.Conning, master, G. Slater, owner, and trade Liverpool–St Vincent.

[7] Lloyd's List reported on 13 February 1798 that Commerce, Clark, master, was one of several British whalers that the Spanish had captured off the coasts of Chile and Peru.

On 14 January 1804, sailing from Jamaica to London, Commerce was assisted (for unknown cause) in mid-Atlantic at 42°N 39°W / 42°N 39°W / 42; -39 by HMS Andromache, which believed she would put into Fayal, Azores.

[10] Later, Commerce lost her rudder in bad weather and was, with difficulty, assisted into Cove of Cork about 29 February by HMS Trompeuse, eventually reaching London on 2 April 1804.

[11][12] Lloyd's List reported on 5 April 1805 that Commerce, Whitaker, master, had been taken while sailing from Cork to London and taken into Calais, where she arrived before 26 March.