In the year 1852 he was appointed to the command of the _Essex_, and continued her Master four years; at the end of which period he took the command of the _Suffolk_. There is no doubt that he owed this appointment entirely to his own merits as a navigator, and to the confidence which his general character inspired. The post which the Captain of the _Suffolk_ was expected creditably to fill, was in every way an honourable, but, at the same time, a most responsible one. The ship was one of Messrs. Wigram’s best and fastest-sailing clippers, and was expressly designed for the Australian trade. In 1856 the gold-digging mania in Australia was attracting great numbers of people from our shores, and there was a sharp competition amongst ship-owners, both for passengers and cargo. Fast vessels were much in demand, for, to the travellers athirst for gold, a single day was deemed of the greatest importance; and safe ships were of course sought after, because of the precious cargo entrusted to their keeping. Accordingly, during that period a number of fine vessels were built and launched, and their owners were accustomed to start them at the same time and for the same destination. The _Suffolk_, however, could successfully compare with any vessel of her class, as she had been expressly built for the Australian trade, and, regardless of cost, had been fitted by her wealthy owners with all the equipments necessary to render her one of the fastest and, at the same time, safest ships afloat.