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 “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. 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:

“The first thing to be provided was a diving-bell, for which two iron tanks were supplied from H.M.S. Warspite. Iron tanks are used in H.M. navy instead of casks, for the purpose of containing water, and are about five feet cube, which allows of their holding about two tons. The plan proposed to be adopted by Commander Dickinson was communicated to Mr. Moore, an Englishman of acknowledged skill and experience as a civil engineer, residing at Rio, who so far approved of it, as to engage his own services towards carrying it into execution, in return for which he was to receive payment in proportion to the amount of property recovered. 