opinion of the very great advantage of this discovery, if only for the purpose of more closely watching the enemy. The brigs both returned back the same way, and had not less water in going over the sand than ¼ less 5, and on returning than 5¼, 5½, and 6 fathoms.”
The merit of this valuable and important discovery was afterwards assumed by an Admiralty surveyor, which caused a remonstrance on the part of Captain Hancock, whose feelings, we are happy to say, were soon soothed through the kind interference of Sir William Young, whose letter on the subject we shall give at the end of this memoir.
In the course of May 1812, Captain Hancock was once more relieved in the command of the advanced squadron, by Commodore Owen; and we subsequently find him making a trip to the Shetland islands. In the ensuing autumn he resumed his station as senior officer off the Duerloo, and previous to his departure from thence succeeded in recovering a bower-anchor and four new cables, which had been slipped by the Inconstant, and one anchor and three cables belonging to the Horatio frigate. In April 1813, he returned from the Downs to his old station; and in the following month the Nymphen conveyed H.R.H. the Duke of Cumberland from Yarmouth to the mouth of the Elbe, and from thence to Gottenburgh, at which place Captain Hancock took charge of the homeward bound Baltic trade, the whole of which he escorted in safety to England.
During the summer of 1813, Captain Hancock was employed affording protection to the Mediterranean, Lisbon, and Oporto trade; also carrying out specie for the use of the British army in the peninsula. On his return from that service he was again placed under the orders of Admiral Young, and immediately sent by him to direct the operations of his former squadron.
On the 17th Nov. 1813, Captain Hancock was under the necessity of cutting from three cables, and obliged to carry a press of sail in order to weather the Stone Bank and gain an offing; the wind being at N.W. by N., blowing a perfect hurricane, with a lee tide. Having reported this circumstance, and his subsequent proceedings, to the commander-in-chief, be had the gratification of receiving in return
