When the Royalist French surrendered Toulon to Lord Hood in 1793, they found "Iris" dismantled and being used as a powder hulk. As the republicans advanced on the town, the Anglo-Spanish forces evacuated, destroying the arsenal and as many ships as they could of those that they could not sail out of the port. Captain Sidney Smith took charge of a small squadron of three English and three Spanish gunboats and went into the inner harbour to scuttle the ships. Against orders, instead of sinking one of the frigates, the Spanish crew of one gunboat set the frigate alight. The vessel, possibly "Iris", was being used to store one thousand barrels of gunpowder. The resulting explosion blew the British gun boat "Terrible", commanded by Lieutenant Patey, to pieces; however, the men were picked up alive. Another British gunboat, "Union", which was nearest to "Iris", too was blown to pieces; her commander, Mr Young, was killed, together with three of his men. At least one other powder hulk, French frigate "Montréal", was also destroyed in the evacuation, and "Iris" was recorded as being one of those burnt in the retreat.