 "Arethusa" was assigned to the British Western Frigate Squadron under Commodore John Borlase Warren.The squadron consisted of "Flora", Captain Sir John Warren, "Arethusa", Captain Sir Edward Pellew (later Lord Exmouth), , Captain Thomas Wells, "Concorde", Sir Richard Strachan , and "Nymphe", Captain George Murray.These were all 36-gun ships, apart from "Nymphe" and "Arethusa" with 38.