Tayler entered the navy in July 1796 as a first-class volunteer on board the 100-gun ship , flagship of Lord Bridport in the Channel Fleet, under the command of Captain William Domett. In April–May 1797 he was present in her at the Spithead mutiny. In 1799 he moved to the razee frigate , Captain Philip Charles Durham, which was occasionally employed attending the Royal Family off Weymouth, and was in waiting upon the King in a boat whenever he went afloat. On 27 April 1800 he assisted in the capture of the letter of marque "Vainqueur" from Bordeaux bound for St. Domingo, and two days afterwards, in the capture of the 18-gun privateer "Hardi", which was in company with the 18-gun "Guepe", and the 36-gun "Braave" and "Druide". Tayler was also employed in landing arms at Quimper, and in otherwise aiding the French royalists. On 27 June 1800, while escorting a fleet of transport ships from Gibraltar and Minorca, "Anson" captured seven merchant vessels on the Spanish coast between Tarifa and Algeciras, even though they were protected by shore batteries and covered by the fire of 25 heavy gunboats. She also drove two gunboats, each mounting two long 18-pounders and eight smaller guns, onto the coast, where Tayler, in a boat, assisted in taking possession of one of them – the crew having abandoned ship. He then followed Captain Durham into the 40-gun frigate , visited Saint Helena and Lisbon, and took part in the capture of the 14-gun French cutter-privateer "Furie" on 13 April 1801.