Jonathan Hawke

Biography
Coming from a line of Royal Navy captains, Jonathan Hawke naturally entered His Majesty's service as midshipman aboard the ship-of-the-line "Salomon". He distinguished himself under fire. After some skirmishes in the Atlantic he was assigned command of a prize ship (the previously French La Hirondelle) and to sail her into Jenny Bay, dispatching news. There he was given new orders by the local Royal Navy representatives. Among his achievements in the Caribbean are the capture of a pirate Agamemnon bark ((NPC, level 25)) when commanding the snow Bexhill ((and being level 12)). He passed his (repeatedly delayed) examination for lieutenant in March 1721. In mid-1721 he was given orders to sail for Bengal, and to report to the authorities in Calcutta. He spent nearly 3 years in the Far East waters, first commanding his old trusty Cockatrice, later the EIC-built Cyclone, 30 guns.

Commands
Active Commands
 * HMS Cyclone, 30 guns, Falcon class fifth rate frigate, since September 1722
 * HMS Scimitar, 20 guns, polacre scout, since March 1721
 * Pelican, Bermuda class sloop, former Spanish prize bought by Hawke for private use in February 1721

Previous Commands
 * La Hirondelle, 6 guns, French prize ('La Belle'-class), not taken over into active service, although performed remarkably for a while before decision was made to sell her off into private ownership in January 1721
 * HMS Bexhill, 12 guns, 'Van Hoorn'-class snow, January to February 1721 (after which Hawke was assigned the 'Cockatrice')
 * HMS Cockatrice, 24 guns, 6th-rate frigate, February 1721 to September 1722

Record of Achievement

 *  1721 January 14th - Transferred to the Caribbean, enlisted in the St George Squadron
 *  1721 February 28th - Took command of HMS Cockatrice, 24 guns
 *  1721 March 9th - Promoted to full membership and rank of Master in the St George Squadron
 *  1721 March 25th - Rank of Lieutenant in the Royal Navy
 *  1721 July - Transferred to the Gulf of Bengales