John Henslow designed the small sloops for coastal patrol duties off Newfoundland, "to protect the fisheries and inquiring into abuses.

At the time the Admiral of the station and the Admiralty rotated promising lieutenants through command of Trepassey and her sister ship, Placentia, on an annual basis.

[1] In March 1793 Brenton and Lieutenant Tucker, commander of Placentia were at St. John's, Newfoundland when they received a letter from the governor of Saint Pierre and Miquelon inquiring about what news there was about the possible outbreak of war.

[4] In all, the British captured a battery consisting of eight 24-pounder guns, the garrison, of between 80 and 100 men, besides about 500 armed fishermen, and the whole population of the two islands, amounting to 741 people on Saint Pierre and 761 on Miquelon.

[6] Lloyd's List reported that on 25 February 1806 Trepassey, Morris, master, was one of four vessels that had run ashore in the Clyde, but without damage.

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