s armed precisely as the forty-four gun
frigates at a later period of the war, with eighteen-pounders on the
main-deck, and 32-pounder carronades on the quarter-deck and forecastle.
He joined her in January 1794.

Towards the end of 1793, the enemy fitted out a number of frigates,
which cruised at the entrance of the Channel, chiefly in small
squadrons, and committed the most serious depredations. Sir Edward
formed the idea of checking them by an independent cruising squadron;
but, expecting that a measure so unusual as to create a distinct command
within the limits of an Admiral's station would be very strongly
opposed, he would not, as an officer without influence, venture to
recommend it himself; but he explained his views to Sir J. Borlase
Warren, whose interest was great, and urged him to apply for such a
command. The Admiralty, whose attention had already been anxiously
directed to the successes of the enemy, approved of the proposal, and
gave Sir John a small squadron of frigates, of which the _Arethusa_ was
one, and which were to rendezvous at Falmouth. Such was the origin of
the Western squadrons, which, from the number of their successes, and
their character of dashing enterprise, became the most popular service
in the navy. As a school for officers and seamen, they were never
surpassed. Almost all their captains rose to high distinction, and a
list of well-known flag-officers may be traced in connection with them,
such as, perhaps, was never formed by any other service of the same
extent. It may suffice to mention such names as Sir Richard Strachan,
Sir Israel Pellew, Sir Edmund Nagle, Sir Sidney Smith, Sir Richard
Keats, Sir James Saumarez, Sir Philip Durham, Sir Charles V. Penrose,
Admirals Barlow, and Reynolds. Nothing equals the animating duties of a
cruizing frigate squadron. The vigilance in hovering on the enemy's
coast, or sweeping over the seas around it; the chase, by a single ship
detached to observe a suspicious stranger, or by the whole squadron to
overtake an enemy; the occasional action; the boat-attack;--service like
this gives constant life to a sailor. In a line-of-battle ship, with the
perfection of discipline, there is less demand for individual
enterprise, and fewer of the opportunities which fit crews for exploits
where all depends on rapidity and daring. On the other hand, a single
cruizer wants the stimulus supplied by constant emulation. But in a
squadron, all the ships vie with one a