[15][16] Minerva's departure was initially delayed due to the brig Lively, commanded by Captain Dobson, not arriving in Cork until 29 January 1799.

Further delay then occurred due to the poor health of Irish political prisoners Lively had carried down from Dublin.

Surgeon John Washington Price, inspecting Lively, recorded in his journal that the prisoners were, ‘in the most wretched, cruel and pitiable condition I’d ever seen human beings in’.

[18] Minerva also carried a detachment of 20 men from the New South Wales Marine Corps to guard the prisoners, and several passengers.

One passenger was Joseph Holt, who as a general for the United Irish, had led a large guerrilla force that had fought against British troops in County Wicklow from June–October 1798.

A third notable passenger was Captain William Cox, who had been appointed paymaster of the New South Wales Corps.

[5] On 14 September, Minerva parted from Friendship, and their escort, HMS Dryad, left them to return to Ireland.

[20] Two weeks later, on 30 September, Minerva exchanged shots at some distance with two strange vessels that sported Portuguese colors, but both sides did not pursue the matter.

Salkeld had a liberal attitude with respect to restrictions on the conduct of the female convicts and a number of marriages eventuated.

Homeward bound, she passed Kedgeree on 27 October, reached St Helena on 24 February 1801 and Ascension Island on 22 March, and arrived at the Downs on 26 May.

[2][7][3] Weltden left the Downs on 14 June 1802, bound for St Helena and Bengal, and in company with the East Indiaman Lord Eldon.

[24] One of the passengers on board was Henry Salt, who would later go on to become consul general in Egypt and a noted Egyptologist; he was travelling as secretary to Viscount Lord Valentia.

On her homeward bound trip she passed Saugor on 10 March, reached the Nicobars again on 13 April, Colombo on 10 May, St Helena on 2 August, and Cork on 29 November, and arrived at the Downs on 12 December.

The letter of marque issued on 11 October 1804 to "Dods", shows her armament as two 9-pounder guns and twelve 24-pounder carronades.

[8] The 1806 Lloyd's Register shows Minerva as travelling between London and Barbados, and armed with fourteen 24-pounder carronades.