He afterwards served under Sampson Edwards in the schooner Canada, and after the loss of that vessel, returned to England with Admiral Robert Duff in HMS Romney.

In 1778, Hawkins served for a time as a lieutenant in HMS Rainbow, under Captain Sir George Collier, and after being confirmed in his rank by Lord Howe on 4 September 1778.

[2] Deal Castle and the sloop-of-war HMS Chameleon were anchored in Gros Islet Bay, Saint Lucia,[2] when in early October 1780 the "Great Hurricane" struck the island.

[4] After a short stay on shore, Hawkins took command of HMS Rose, which had been intended for the Mediterranean, but was subsequently sent to Leith, Scotland, where she remained till 1785, before being put out of commission.

[4] Hawkins took advantage of the peace to attend lectures in astronomy at the University of Oxford in 1786, and travelled extensively throughout Europe, visiting The Hague, Hamburg, Lübeck, Reval, Saint Petersburg, Copenhagen, and Paris.

[1] In June 1793, after the outbreak of war with Revolutionary France, Hawkins-Whitshed was appointed to command of the 74-gun ship HMS Arrogant, on the home station.

In March 1795, he moved to the 90-gun second-rate ship of the line HMS Namur, and after cruising for some time with the Channel Fleet, sailed with Rear Admiral William Parker to reinforce Sir John Jervis in the Mediterranean.

[5][6] Upon the death of Sir Charles Thompson in March 1799, Hawkins-Whitshed hoisted his flag on board the 110-gun first-rate ship HMS Queen Charlotte and sailed for the Mediterranean.

[5] On the recommencement of hostilities in May 1803, Hawkins-Whitshed was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Sea Fencibles in Ireland, receiving promotion to the rank of vice admiral on 23 April 1804.

[5][9] On 2 January 1815 Hawkins-Whitshed was made a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB),[10] receiving the award from the Prince Regent at Carlton House, on 11 April 1815.