She captured one French privateer and numerous small merchantmen, but spent most of her career escorting convoys to and from the West Indies.

[1] On 7 August 1798 Speedwell and Busy intercepted off Goree in the North Sea a Swedish convoy under the escort of HSwMS Ulla Fersen.

As Busy was escorting the Swedish vessels into The Downs they encountered a British squadron that had been searching for the Swedes.

[3] On 29 July 1799 Busy was in company with the hired armed lugger Fox when they captured Der Winter.

After a short chase along the Dutch coast, Ommaney drove her to anchor in heavy surf about five miles from Egmont.

[2] Dragon, Citizen Liard, master, was armed with two with two 12-pounder carronades and fourteen 4-pounder guns, eight of which she had thrown overboard during the chase.

[9] Between November and December Busy was back with her builders who were making good defects in her construction that had been discovered.

[13] The homeward fleet of 170 merchant vessels sailed from Jamaica on 1 August under escort by HMS Queen, Busy, and two frigates.

A letter from Antigua dated 21 November reported that he had succumbed to yellow fever and that Lieutenant Thomas Church, of Excellent had replaced him in command of Busy.

[14] Following the Peace of Amiens in March 1802, there was an announcement on 21 July that when they arrived from Jamaica, eight sail of the line, four frigates, and five sloops, including Busy, would be laid up at Plymouth Dockyard.

[21] On 24 October Busy, with the convoy for Newfoundland and Halifax, got under weigh at Portsmouth but brought to again when the wind dropped.

[1] Busy, Lieutenant Richard Keilly, parted from a convoy on 4 December 1806, having left Halifax the previous day.