Under Austin the "Cyclops" saw service in the Mediterranean Sea and operations during the Syrian War in 1840, one of the last actions for which the Naval General Service Medal was awarded. The war had begun when Mehemet Ali, Pasha of Egypt, attempted to claim independence from the Ottoman Empire. Ali invaded Syria and took control of the Ottoman Fleet forcing young Sultan Abdülmecid I to request help from the European powers. Great Britain, Austria, Prussia and Russia agreed to assist and issued an ultimatum to Ali demanding his withdrawal from Ottoman possessions (Arabia, Crete and Syria) in return for being made hereditary Viceroy of Egypt. "Cyclops" was detached from patrolling to carry the ultimatum into Alexandria on 9 August 1840.