Friendship was one of thirty cutters ordered to be purchased by the Royal Navy in three month from December 1762 to February 1763 for coastal duties off English ports.[1] The function of these purchased cutters included convoy and patrol, the carrying of messages between Navy vessels in port and assisting the press gang in the interception of merchant craft.[2]
Admiralty Orders for her purchase were issued on 16 February 1763 with the transaction completed for £316.[1] She was a small craft, single-masted and with an overall length of 39feet including bowsprit, a 28feet keel, a beam of 19feet and measuring 60 tons burthen. At the time of purchase she had been at sea as a merchant vessel for three years.[1]
On 8 April 1763 the newly purchased cutter was sailed to Woolwich Dockyard for fitting out as a Navy craft. Works ran for two months until 17 June, at a total cost of £501.[1] As rebuilt for Navy service, she was armed with four three-pounder cannons and six -pounder swivel guns, with a complement of 24 crew.[1]
War with France had ended before Friendship was ready for service. Despite this, commissioning went ahead in April 1763 and the vessel entered the Navy as a patrol cutter in Start Bay off Devon. Her first commander was Lieutenant Patrick Strachan, father of future Royal Navy Admiral Sir Richard Strachan.[1] [3] In 1766 command passed to Lieutenant Rowland Pigot, and then in 1768 to Lieutenant John Glover. Friendship remained at the same station throughout these changes of command.[1] In September 1769 she captured a smuggler's vessel carrying two hundred gallons of brandy and a quantity of tea.[4]
Friendship was paid off as surplus to Navy requirements in 1771. On 29 October she was sold out of service at Plymouth Dockyard for a final price of £100.[1]