His greatest difficulty, at the start, was in making lieutenants.

That he overcame by appointing senior midshipmen before the Ariadne was out of the Channel.

He offered a lieutenancy to Ferens, who had the courage to decline it.
"Make me purser," remarked Ferens.

"Make me purser, and I'll do the job justly." As the purser of the Ariadne had been sent to the sick-bay and was likely to die (and did die subsequently), Ferens was put into his uniform-three-cornered cocked hat, white knee-breeches, and white stockings.

The purser of a man-of-war was generally a friend of the captain, going with him from ship to ship.
Of the common sailors, on the whole, Dyck had little doubt.