A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Cook, Thomas
COOK, F.R.S. (Lieut., 1818. f-p., 11; h-p., 29.)
Thomas Cook entered the Navy, 17 July, 1807, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Orion 74, Capt. Sir Arch. Collingwood Dickson; in which ship he attained the rating of Midshipman 18 June, 1809, and continued to serve until Dec. 1813. During that period he accompanied the expedition against Copenhagen in Aug. and Sept. 1807; and served, as a Volunteer, with the flotilla in the operations against Walcheren in Aug. 1809. On leaving the Orion, Mr. Cook joined the Royal Sovereign 100, Capts. Thos. Gordon Caulfeild, Chas. Thurlow Smith, and Robt. Lambert; and, ,after intermediately assisting at the blockade of Toulon, he proceeded, at the close of 1814, to the Rio de la Plata, as Master’s Mate of the Orpheus 36, Capt. Chas. Montagu Fabian. On hearing of the renewal of hostilities occasioned by Buonaparte’s escape from Elba, he obtained leave to return to England in the Hotspue 36, Capt. Hon. Josceline Percy; and, on the latter ship being paid off at the restoration of peace, he was appointed Admiralty- Midshipman of the Rochfort 80, commanded by his old Captain, Sir A. C.Dickson, with whom he remained until promoted to the rank of Lieutenant 1 June, 1818 – an event which took place five years after he had passed his examination. Since that period he has not been afloat. Lieut. Cook, who was appointed, in Jan. 1837, one of the Professors of Fortification and Artillery at the Hon.E.I.Co.’s Military Academy at Addiscombe, is the originator of several valuable inventions, – among the most prominent of which we may notice the “Night Life Buoy,” which has been in universal adoption by the Royal Navy for more than 25 years, and was introduced into their respective services by the late Emperor Alexander of Russia, the late King of France, and the late King of Holland, all of whom honoured him with princely tokens of their approbation; – the “Moveable Platform, for training seamen to hit an object from a ship in motion, without necessarily expending ammunition in the practice,” an invention which has been for many years in constant use on board the Excellent; – and a much-approved “LifeBoat.” The medal of the Royal Humane Society, and the two gold medals of the Society of Arts, have been conferred on him; and on 4 June, 1840, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society. Agents – Messrs Stilwell.