On her return voyage from Australia she sailed via China, where she carried a cargo back to England for the EIC.

As most of her voyages took place during wartime, Earl Spencer frequently sailed under a letter of marque that authorized her to engage in offensive actions against the French, not just defensive.

Homeward bound, she was at Saugor on 3 April, reached False Bay on 12 August and the Cape on 4 September.

Homeward bound, she was at Saugor on 20 April, Simons Bay on 22 August, the Cape on 30 September, and St Helena on 17 November.

The Napoleonic Wars having broken out after the one year of peace following the Treaty of Amiens, he received a new letter of marque on 8 June 1803.

[3][7] The Indiamen Earl Spencer, Lord Melville, Princess Mary, Northampton, Anna, Ann, Glory, and Essex left Rio on 13 October.

Earl Spencer reached Rio de Janeiro on 13 November, the Cape on 15 January 1807, and Colombo on 5 April.

There Heming joined Captain Kymer of Lord Castlereagh and Captain Hawes of Monarch in letters of protest against the Royal Navy's impressment of seamen from the ships; Earl Spencer had lost 23 men, including some petty officers, out of her crew of 87 men to the Navy.

On 24 May a storm split the convoy and Victor and the small ships separately lost touch with the Indiamen.

The three remaining Indiamen, Streatham, Europe, and Lord Keith continued on their way while hoping to meet up with Victor.

[11] Lord Keith too exchanged broadsides with Caroline and was damaged, however she escaped and sailed to Penang to repair.

Repairs completed, all three then sailed together and reached St Helena on 14 November; they arrived at The Downs on 19 or 20 January 1810.

Earl Spencer reached Madeira on 25 June and arrived at Diamond Harbour on 12 December.

She sailed via Madeira, escorted for the early part of the voyage by HMS Kangaroo, and arrived at Port Jackson on 9 October 1813.

She passed the Bocca Tigris on 12 November, reaching the Cape on 26 March 1815, and St Helena on 24 April.