In January 1852 There was a rumor that captain de Smit van den Broecke would get the command of the heavy frigate Doggersbank, a ship more fitting for a captain. This appointment indeed took place on 24 February, effective 1 April. On 13 June 1852 the Doggersbank tried to leave Nieuwediep for Vlissingen, but was blown back. A few days later she was towed to Vlissingen. The mission of the Doggersbank was to make a cruise to the Canaries as an exercise trip for 40 midshipmen. On 23 June she left Vlissingen, and on 8 July she was in A Coruña, from whence the Reales Astilleros de Esteiro were visited. On 2 August the Doggersbank arrived back in Nieuwediep from the Canaries. In September the Doggersbank was the flagship of a squadron under RA Bouricius together with the frigate Prins van Oranje, the corvette Sumatra and the Gedeh. The squadron arrived in Gibraltar on 10 October. It left from there in mid October and sailed to Cadiz. From there the two frigates sailed home on 6 November, and arrived back in Nieuwediep on the 18th.
