Vessels of the British Royal Navy often escorted these convoys, though generally not past India, or before on the return leg.

For her first voyage, Ocean sailed to Madras and China under the command of Captain James Tod (or Todd).

[2] The EIC inspected the East Indiamen as they arrived and on 15 October fined Patton and ten other captains £100 each for having not stowed their cargoes in conformance with the Company's orders.

[a] When Ocean was ready to sail, the British government held her at Portsmouth, together with a number of other Indiamen in anticipation of using them as transports for an attack on Île de France (Mauritius).

[2] Because this voyage began after the start of the French Revolutionary Wars, Ocean sailed under a letter of marque issued to Captain Andrew Patton on 22 February 1794.

On 28 January 1797 the Indiamen were off the east end of Java heading northward through the Bali Strait Here they encountered Admiral de Sercey and his squadron of frigates, who had left Batavia and was sailing southward through the Bali Straits on his way back to Mauritius.

Afraid of being unable to repair his frigates and under express orders to avoid giving battle led de Sercey to behave with discretion rather than valour; he withdrew.

[6] The bluff made Farquharson a celebrity and was greeted with rejoicing by the British press.

[8] The crew scuttled Ocean on 5 February; in the evacuation, the ship's boats, except for the longboat, were lost, and two crewmen drowned.

[8] On her homeward voyage from China a storm damaged Taunton Castle, forcing her to stop at Ambonya on 16 September 1797.