Preneuse was a 44-gun frigate of the French Navy, lead ship of her class, designed by Raymond-Antoine Haran and built at Rochefort.

[3] In March 1798, under Lhermitte, she ferried ambassadors from Mysore sent by Tippu Sultan to île de France to request help against the British.

A small mutiny broke out when Preneuse's crew refused to let go of the British flags captured at Tellicherry; Lhermitte had to personally confront the mutineers with his sabre to re-establish discipline.

After a short stay at Surabaya, Preneuse and Brûle-Gueule sailed for a three-month cruise, capturing 40 British merchantmen and participating in the Macau Incident.

They sent seven 18-pounders ashore and the French built an improvised fort to guard the entrance of the bay; it sustained a 3-week siege before the British retreated.

[6] Preneuse exchanged cannon fire with the 16-gun ship-sloop HMS Rattlesnake and the armed store ship Camel, before retreating.

[7][8] On 11 December 1799, as she returned to Île de France, Preneuse encountered the 74-gun HMS Tremendous, under Captain John Osborn, off Port Louis.