In November 1793, while stationed in Sardinia, Collard was promoted to lieutenant and briefly joined HMS "Tartar" before receiving his own small command, the schooner "Petite Boston", which participated in the Siege of Bastia and Siege of Calvi on Corsica. He then spent two years on HMS "Eclair" before joining HMS "Britannia" as senior lieutenant. "Britannia" was subsequently engaged at the Battle of Cape St Vincent in February 1797 and Collard was promoted to commander as a reward. He was briefly in command of HMS "Fortune", which was wrecked off Portugal before joining the small frigate HMS "Vestal" and participating in the Siege of Genoa and the blockade of Egypt, capturing a storeship in 1801. The frigate was paid off in 1802 at the Peace of Amiens and Collard entered the reserve.