In May 1795, the "lugger" Black Joke, under the command of Lieutenant Richard Clark, was part of Sir Sidney Smith's squadron in the Channel.

[3] In 1796, the armed lugger Black Joke, under the command of Lieutenant Boarder, protected the Hull whaling fleet sailing to Lerwick.

[7] On 10 March 1798 His Majesty's hired armed lugger Black Joke was briefly under the command of Lieutenant Mauritius Adolphus Newton de Stark when she captured the fishing vessel Saint Petre.

[9] On 27 April 1799, while under the command of Lieutenant James Nicolson (or Nichelson), Black Joke captured the French chasse-marée Rebecca, of four swivel guns and seven men, just out of Brest having on board a capitaine de frégate with dispatches for Ireland.

The dispatches were a ruse that drew British attention to the Irish coast, when the Brest fleet had sailed to reinforce French forces in Corfu, Malta, and Egypt (see: Bruix' expedition of 1799).

[12] Flora, of Dublin, had been sailing with a cargo of wine, fruit, and cotton, when the French privateer Vengeance, of 20 guns and 130 men, had captured her.

[14][a] Under Lieutenant James Nicholson she carried despatches to and from Lord Bridport, commander of the Channel Fleet, off Brest,[15] and captured numerous prizes.

She was carrying wine, soap and brandy for the Brest fleet; the capture took place under heavy fire but Suworow suffered no casualties.

Although the third rate Elephant and the frigate Naiad were in sight, they voluntarily relinquished their share of the prize money to Nicholson and his crew "in testimony of their approbation of their conduct.

Because Suworow had previously sent in four Danish vessels, Suwarrow had only 16 men and boys on board when she chased and captured Jeune Annette.

Madame Villaret presented Lieutenant Nicholson with a Morocco purse, having a bust of Bonaparte under glass, set in silver.

[31] Prize money from Jean Bart, Bon Citojan, Morbiham, Clair Voyante, and Jeune Annette was paid on 22 March 1802.

[32] However, another report suggests that she may have reverted to her old name and served as the hired armed lugger Black Joke from 1808 until her capture by the French in 1810.