For the first four or five months. Captain Hancock served under the orders of Sir Edward Pellew, then commander-in-chief on the North Sea station, by whom he was sent to cruise between the coasts of Jutland and Norway, where he continued until a very heavy gale of wind obliged him to run out of the Sleeve, in order to obtain good sea-room. On the 26th Feb. 1811, he captured le Vigilante, French privateer, a remarkably large and fast-sailing lugger, mounting 14 guns, with a complement of 60 men.
On his return from this cruise he was entrusted with the command of a squadron employed watching the ports of Helvoet, Flushing, and Ostend; on which trying service he also continued under the late Sir William Young, whose high opinion of his zeal and abilities will be seen by the letters which we shall have occasion to insert hereafter.
Towards the latter end of Aug. 1811,the French fleet at Flushing had increased to seventeen sail of the line, besides several frigates, and numerous smaller vessels; the whole of which were under the command of Vice-Admiral Missiessy, and in an apparent state of readiness for sea. This formidable force was most anxiously watched by Captain Hancock, who had never omitted to reconnoitre that port daily, except when the state of the weather rendered it absolutely impracticable to do so.
Taking advantage of the high tides, three or four of the enemy’s ships now made a practice of getting under weigh every morning, and continued under sail for two or three hours; but never came farther down than half-way between Sluys and the Bresckins. On the 29th of that month, however, the French commander-in-chief ran to the extremity of the Wieling, and afforded Captain Hancock an opportunity of displaying his usual promptitude and decision.
“This morning,” (says Captain Hancock in a letter to Admiral Young) “soon after day-light, Vice-Admiral Missiessy, with five line-of-battle ships, weighed with the last quarter ebb, and ran down the Wieling so far to the westward, that when they hauled their wind to work back they were nearly abreast of Blankenburgh, which is much further to the westward than ever they ventured before: they then tacked occasionally, working back: the wind had increased considerably, and was then at E.S.E.
