In 1781 the British Royal Navy purchased HMS Swallow on the stocks.

Commander David MacKay replaced de Courcy in October 1783.

[3] Captain John McIver acquired a letter of marque on 28 June 1796.

In December 1796 he had received a letter that shows that the government had hired Swallow and that MacIver was to sail her to Santo Domingo and there put her under the orders of Captain Richard Lane of the 44-gun frigate HMS Acasta.

Lastly, she prevented the capture of Fame, of Liverpool, which had gotten separated from the homeward-bound convoy.