Prussian Order of the Red Eagle. Following his return to England in 1845 he commanded HMS Queen as flag-captain to Sir John West at Devonport, and from 1846 – 1847, the frigate HMS Constance in the Pacific. From 1848 – 1861, he was Surveyor of the Navy (the post being known as Controller of the Navy from 1859) and served as a Juror for the Great Exhibition of 1851. He was created a baronet on 18 July 1856, gaining the title 1st Baronet Wake Walker, of Oakley House, appointed Rear Admiral of the Blue in 1858, and Rear-Admiral of the White in 1861, in which year he was also appointed Commander-in-Chief, Cape of Good Hope and West Coast of Africa Station. He returned to England in 1864, being promoted to vice admiral in 1865 and being appointed Commander-in-Chief, The Nore in 1866. He was promoted to Admiral in 1870. Surveyor of the Navy In his capacity as Surveyor of the Navy, Walker specified the requirements that led to the design of the large wooden screw frigates HMS Diadem, HMS Doris, HMS Ariadne, HMS Galatea, HMS Mersey, and HMS Orlando which were known simply as "Walker's Big Frigates". These large vessels were designed to compete with the United States Navy which had decided to build five steam frigates and one steam corvette. The ships had only a short service history as they were both too large for wooden ships and expensive to operate, as they required large crews. It is reported that due to the stresses caused by their powerful engines, Orlando and Mersey were both broken up after less than 20 years service. When in 1858 the French started building La Gloire, the first armoured iron-hulled ship, the Admiralty was asked what it was doing to match this "new engine of war". Walker replied that he believed iron hulls would never replace wooden ships. After strong representations by Walker and Henry Corry, the Parliamentary under-secretary to the Admiralty, the Board of Admiralty was moved on 22 November 1858 to call for designs for a wooden-hulled, armour-plated warship, whose dimensions were approximately equal to those of La Gloire. Eventually it was decided to construct an iron-hulled ship instead, and HMS Warrior was the result. Later life Baldwin Wake Walker died on 12 February 1876 at his house in Diss, Norfolk. He was succeeded as Baronet by his eldest son Baldwin Wake