▁command ▁of ▁the ▁light ▁cru iser ▁, ▁though ▁his ▁ten ure ▁as ▁commander ▁was ▁short - l ived . ▁Leipzig ▁depart ed ▁for ▁the ▁East ▁Asia ▁Squadron ▁in ▁September ▁ 1 9 0 6 , ▁at ▁which ▁point ▁Hi pper ▁was ▁transferred ▁to ▁command ▁the ▁new ▁arm ored ▁cru iser ▁. ▁Hi pper ▁assumed ▁command ▁of ▁the ▁ship ▁on ▁ 3 0 ▁September . ▁Under ▁Hi pper ' s ▁leadership , ▁the ▁crew ▁of ▁Friedrich ▁Carl ▁won ▁the ▁Kaiser ' s ▁Prize ▁for ▁the ▁best ▁shooting ▁in ▁the ▁fleet ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 7 . ▁Admir al ▁Hugo ▁von ▁P ohl ▁stated ▁in ▁a ▁subsequent ▁report : ▁" He ▁has ▁brought ▁the ▁ship ▁to ▁a ▁higher ▁degree ▁of ▁combat ▁effect iveness , ▁and ▁the ▁ship ▁has ▁won ▁the ▁Kaiser ▁Prize ▁for ▁good ▁shooting . ▁One ▁of ▁the ▁best ▁capt ains ▁we ▁have ▁in ▁the ▁cru is ers . ▁A ▁good ▁example ▁for ▁his ▁officers . ▁Re comm ended ▁for ▁batt les hip ▁command ▁and ▁for ▁higher ▁independent ▁commands ." ▁On ▁ 6 ▁April ▁ 1 9 0 7 , ▁Hi pper ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁Kap it än ▁zur ▁See ▁( capt ain ▁at ▁sea ). ▁Nicholas ▁II ▁awarded ▁Hi pper ▁another ▁comm end ation , ▁the ▁Order ▁of ▁St . ▁Andrew , ▁that ▁year ▁during ▁a ▁meeting ▁with ▁Wilhelm ▁II . ▁During ▁the ▁ceremony , ▁Hi pper ▁joined ▁Wilhelm ▁II ▁as ▁one ▁of ▁his ▁" Im per ial ▁Capt ains ." ▁On ▁ 6 ▁March ▁ 1 9 0 8 , ▁Hi