First services
Hughes stayed in Nottingham only briefly, moving in the same rank to the 80-gun ship of the line HMS Chichester on 20 September when his father was given command of her. He served in Chichester, also in the Baltic Fleet, until 23 June of the following year when he was made an able seaman on board the 50-gun fourth rate HMS Leopard, which was serving in home waters. Hughes was then promoted to midshipman in the 70-gun ship of the line HMS Edinburgh, also commanded by his father, on 13 July 1723 and passed his examination for his lieutenancy on 18 December 1725. Throughout this time Edinburgh served as the guardship at Blackstakes, Kent.
Hughes was promoted to lieutenant on 28 July 1726 and posted to the 70-gun ship of the line HMS Grafton to serve as that ship's fourth lieutenant in the Baltic. He was advanced to become Grafton's third lieutenant on 20 April 1727 and then on 26 July 1728 transferred to the 80-gun ship of the line HMS Cornwall when his father gained command of her, serving as that ship's second lieutenant on guardship duties at the Nore. On 8 February 1729 he was moved to become Cornwall's third lieutenant, before being translated into the 80-gun ship of the line HMS Princess Amelia, the flagship of Vice-Admiral Sir George Walton in the Mediterranean Fleet, as that ship's fourth lieutenant on 12 April.
Hughes served in Princess Amelia until 16 December and then went on a period of half pay before joining his next ship, the 50-gun fourth rate HMS Salisbury, on 4 February 1731. Salisbury sailed to the Newfoundland Station later in the year; Hughes served there as her second lieutenant until 8 May 1732 when he was advanced to become first lieutenant of the 60-gun fourth rate HMS Sunderland, guardship at Sheerness. He became Sunderland's second lieutenant on 15 February 1733. Hughes continued to serve as such in Sunderland until 6 May 1735 when he became the sixth lieutenant of the 100-gun ship of the line HMS Britannia, Norris's flagship off Lisbon. He stayed in Britannia until 16 October and then went on an extended period of half pay. This ended on 12 June 1739 when he was appointed as the first lieutenant of the 90-gun ship of the line HMS Namur, which was Norris's new flagship for service in home waters.
