From certainly 1804 through approximately 1811 she served the British Royal Navy as a hired armed ship.

Lord Eldon appears in Lloyd's Register in 1802 with W. Dunn, master, Kave, owner, and trade: London transport.

[1] The Register of Shipping for 1804 notes that she was built in part of old materials, and that she received copper sheathing in 1804; her master is J. Shields and her owner is Sanderson, but she is now armed, and her trade is London-government service.

The London Star reported that "also arrived the hired armed ship Lord Eldon, from a cruise".

Lord Eldon returned to the 1814 Register of Shipping with R. Simey, master, J. Spence, owner, and trade London transport.

[2] In 1816 Lord Eldon carried the Corps of Colonial Marines from Bermuda to Trinidad to be disbanded there on 20 August 1816.

[15] On 7 May 1817, a heavy gale drove Lord Eldon, Clay, master, onshore at Kirkwall while she was on her way from Sunderland to Quebec.

Berry Castle, of Aberdeen, Pratt, master, took on board 100 passengers from Lord Eldon, and was to sail on 21 May.

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