After this success Kent became part of a squadron under Rear Admiral Hawke, which was dispatched to intercept another French convoy, this time en route to the West Indies.

Fox's charge was then read, stating that: he did not come properly into the fight, did not do his utmost to engage, disable or damage the enemy, nor assist his majesty's ships who did.

In the British anti-piracy campaign of 1756 Kent, Kingfisher, and Tiger carried 300 Indo-Portuguese Topazes to capture the fortress of Gheriah on 14 February 1756.

In order to take the Fort d'Orleans guarding the town, Kent and Tiger managed to edge up the Hooghly river, although the French had tried to block it with sunken ships, booms and chains.

They were both injured, Captain Speke less seriously, but Billy lost a leg due to his thigh being shattered by a cannon shot and died later, the result of blood poisoning after the necessary amputation.

At some point Kent seems to have been under the command of a Captain Charles Windham (or Wyndham), during which time a young William Locker served aboard her.