Captain John Sprat Rainier took command in April 1797, remaining initially in the East Indies, but shifting to the Red Sea in 1799 and 1800.
By September 1804, Admiral Peter Rainier, the commander of the fleet Centurion was attached to, had become concerned about the presence of a French squadron in the area under Contre-Admiral Charles-Alexandre Durand Linois which was raiding British shipping.