Bille entered Danish service as a cadet and gained experience in the Baltic, West Indies, and East Indies. A convoy under his protection lost its merchant ships to three British privateers, while a later voyage exposed his crew to severe scurvy and left him with a badly set broken arm. He nevertheless earned a reputation as an able captain and a popular cadet trainer who tested older ships against newer designs. Those trials and training duties show a career built around practical seamanship and officer development. By 1801 he commanded ships and gunboats on Copenhagen's northern side, which saw little action because the battle concentrated farther south.
Chapter · 1:19:44-1:29:42
Steen Andersen Bille's formation as a naval officer
Bille's career connected convoy protection, long-distance sailing, cadet training, and practical comparison of older and newer Danish warships.