After the onset of war with France Britain's merchant fleet provided French, and later Dutch privateers with a target-rich environment. The Royal Navy needed escort vessels and a quick fix was to buy existing merchant vessels, arm and man them, and then deploy them. Between March and April the Admiralty purchased 10 brigs at Leith, "Lady Cathcart" among them. The Royal Navy initially designated these as " GB №__", but then gave them names before they actually sailed.