"Sirius" was commissioned in May 1797 under the command of Captain Richard King. In her first action on 24 October 1798 "Sirius" took two Dutch ships, the "Waakzaamheid" and the "Furie" in the Texel. "Waakzaamheid" was under the command of Senior Captain Neirrop. She was armed with twenty-four 9-pounder guns on her main deck and two 6-pounders on her forecastle. She had 100 Dutch seamen aboard her, as well as 122 French troops, and was carrying 2000 stands of arms as well as other ordnance stores. "Waakzaamheid" put up no struggle. The sloop shared in the capture.