1st EIC voyage (1786–1787): Captain Charles Mitchell sailed from the Downs on 26 March, bound for Madras and Bengal.

William Pitt reached Madras on 26 July and Diamond Point on 14 August.

Homeward bound, she sailed from Cox's Island on 2 January 1787, reached St Helena on 13 March, and arrived back at the Downs on 15 May 2nd EIC voyage (1788–1789): Captain Mitchell sailed from the Downs on 5 April 1788, bound for Madras and Bengal.

Homeward bound, she sailed from Saugor on 15 November, reached St Helena on 20 January 1789, and arrived at the Downs on 23 March.

3rd EIC voyage (1790–1791): Captain Mitchell sailed from the Downs on 19 April 1790, bound for Bengal and Madras.

In late 1793 John Shore, the EIC's Governor-General of India, formed a squadron from the company's own ships to patrol the South-Asia region.

The EIC diverted two East Indiamen, William Pitt and Britannia, and the country ship Nonsuch for the service.

On 24–25 January, the EIC squadron engaged a French naval squadron from Île de France, consisting of the frigates Prudente and Cybèle, the brig Vulcain and the captured East Indiaman Princess Royal, now renamed Duguay-Trouin.

The two squadrons engaged at long range though Houghton and Nonsuch managed to hit Cybèle.

Casualties among the French squadron are not known, but the only loss on the British ships was on Nonsuch, which had a man killed in combat with Cybèle.

On Mitchell's return to Britain in 1796 King George III knighted him,[4] and presented with £8,000 (the equivalent of £1,161,000 as of 2025)[5] as reward and compensation for his diversion to the Straits.

5th EIC voyage (1796–179): Captain Sir Charles Mitchel sailed from Portsmouth on 12 April 1796, bound for the Cape, Madras, Bengal, and Bombay.

6th EIC voyage (1799–1800): Captain Sir Charles Mitchell sailed from Portsmouth on 2 April 1799, bound for Madras and Bengal.