“Lieutenant Dickinson is an officer of great zeal, and very superior professional attainments. He was first lieutenant (alas! my Lord, he is now nothing) of the Andromache, when opposed to an enemy, fully equal to her in metal, and superior in men. True, my Lord, la Trave was under jury-masts, nor was the contest long (though a well-directed fire of nearly half an hour, from her stern guns, I barely noticed); yet, if short, it was by the prompt and steady conduct of the officers and crew I had the happiness to command, and particularly that of Lieutenant Dickinson, who, by an admirable precision in working the ship, anticipated my every wish.”
Although thus highly recommended, Mr. Dickinson was not promoted until June 15th, 1814. In the course of the same year, he obtained a pension for his wounds, the present amount of which is £150 per annum. In 1825, the Society of Arts presented him with the Gold Vulcan Medal, for his mode of applying percussion powder to the discharge of ships’ guns. And on the 25th June, 1829, he was appointed to the command of the Lightning sloop, fitting out at Plymouth for the South American station.
The Lightning was at Rio Janeiro refitting, after a trip to the Pacific, when the intelligence of the loss of the Thetis frigate, on Cape Frio, on the night of Dec. 5th, 1830, arrived[1]. Every thing on board that ill-fated ship, including 800,000 dollars, was supposed to be irrecoverable: but Commander Dickinson was not of that opinion and thought that, at least some of the treasure might be saved. He accordingly offered his services to Rear-Admiral Thomas Baker, the Commander-in-chief, and obtained permission to carry his plans for this purpose into effect. For the following sketch of his operations we are indebted to the Nautical Magazine:
