During her first voyage her master fired on another British slave ship, which gave rise to an interesting court case.

Othello entered Lloyd's Register in 1787 with McGauley, master, Parke & Co. owner, and trade Liverpool-Africa.

[3] Captain James McGauley sailed Othello from Liverpool on 20 December 1786, bound for the Bight of Biafra and Gulf of Guinea islands.

[5] At the coast of Cameroon he delivered trade goods to the natives, but payment, in the form of slaves, was slow in coming.

McGauley had ordered the shot fired because the natives on that coast owed him a debt and he had declared that he would permit no trade until they had paid him.

[b] The court found for the plaintiffs, establishing that it is a tort "to cause damage to a person by maliciously using any unlawful means, (e.g. fraud, or threats of assault), to induce anyone to abstain from entering into a contract with him.

Captain John Powell sailed Othello on 16 March 1790 for the Bight of Biafra and Gulf of Guinea islands.

The French Revolutionary Wars had just begun when Jolly received a letter of marque on 28 February.

Minerva, Hayes, master, had been sailing from Cork to Saint Domingo when she was captured on 20 October.

[5] On 22 June 1795 Christian again sailed Othello for the Bight of Biafra and Gulf of Guinea islands.