The squadron found itself blocked by cold and damage in a Norwegian harbour during the entire winter of 1794–95, sustaining over 250 dead from illness out of a total complement of 880.

In spring, Seine and Galathée returned to France, leaving Républicaine to care for the untransportable sick.

On her way there one of the British seamen, who was at the helm, succeeded in running her aground on the east coast of Africa a little north of the Cape, wrecking her.

In March 1798, she sailed from Île de France and was on her way to Lorient when she encountered a British frigate squadron in the Breton Passage on 30 June 1798.

Her captors sailed her into Portsmouth, arriving there on 18 July;[2] Milne commanded Seine for the rest of her career.

[7] That same day, in a probably related encounter, Seine was in sight when the hired armed brig Telegraph captured the French privateer Hirondelle in a notable action.

The naval historian William James subsequently exaggerated Vengeance's earlier engagement with Constellation in favour of the French.

Seine underwent a refit at Chatham Dockyard between June and July 1803, with Milne recommissioning her in May for the North Sea.

That evening Milne had ordered the pilots to keep her out of shallow water and they had assured him that she was safe; forty minutes later she struck.

[15] The crew labored all night and well into the morning, with the assistance of two passing merchant vessels to pull her off and to lighten her, but to no avail.

[4] A court martial on 4 August 1803 honourably acquitted Captain Milne, his officers and crew for the loss of the vessel.