[6] On 13 May of the same year Leith was part of a squadron commanded by Captain Sir James Wallace in HMS Experiment that captured the French frigate Danae, and a brig and cutter, in Cancale Bay.

On 17 August word came to the thinly armed station that John Paul Jones was moving to attack Leith in a squadron led by his frigate USS Bonhomme Richard.

Word of the hastily assembled British defences combined with a troublesome squall led Jones to call off the attack, and Leith's batteries were not used.

[9] While serving off Greenland, having recently finished convoying ships to Shetland, Leith captured the 18-gun Dunkirk privateer Necker.

[10][11] Necker initially spotted and chased Leith, who found she could not outrun the privateer and turned to engage her.

Necker then mistook Leith for a frigate and began to sail away from her, only to lose her topmast in her haste to escape.

Leith was then able to catch up with the privateer which quickly surrendered, having already thrown her guns overboard in an attempt to increase speed.