Under the command of Captain William Agnew, Triton sailed from The Downs on 5 April 1788, bound for Madras and Bengal.

[1] Capt Philip Burnyeat sailed Triton from Torbay on 13 January 1793, bound for Madras, Bengal and China.

Trtion was at Pondicherry on 15 July, together with Warley, and Royal Charlotte, maintaining a blockade of the port, together with HMS Minerva.

[9] Triton had sailed from Fort Saint George (Madras) as escort to Admiral Lord Cornwallis, then Governor General of India, who was traveling to Pondicherry in a small captured French vessel.

She crossed the Second Bar on 14 March 1794, reached St Helena on 18 June, left on 1 July, and arrived at The Downs on 17 September.

[1] Because she was travelling in wartime, Burnyeat had arranged for a letter of marque, as was customary for EIC ships, which was issued to him on 1 May 1795.

[1] The privateer Robert Surcouf had had a successful cruise in the Indian Ocean capturing several vessels, including the pilot boat Cartier, which he renamed Hasard.

He transferred his remaining men from his ship Émilie to Hasard and on 28 January, sighting Triton at anchor, decided to attack.

[13] In the ensuing 45-minute battle,[11] Triton suffered 5 wounded and 10 killed,[15] including Burnyeat and the first officer, Picket;[13] Surcouf transferred his prisoners to Diana, another vessel that he had captured, and which he released to her captain against a 30,000 rupee ransom.

[16] Newspaper accounts stated that a boatswain had persuaded 20 members of Triton's deck crew to decline to fight.

However, the British Government cancelled the invasion following a peace treaty with Spain and the EIC released the vessels it had engaged.

Later, the EIC chartered her as an extra ship for three voyages, for which records exist for the second and third: Triton, under the command of Captain David Dunlop, arrived in England on 28 September 1799 from Madras.