 Cumming was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath on 13 May 1867. In November of that year he became part of the Royal Navy's Packet Service and served in that role as an additional captain in HMS Victory, under the command of Captains Frederick Beauchamp Paget Seymour and George Le Geyt Bowyear. During this time Victory served as the flagship of the Port Admiral of Portsmouth and Cumming transferred to HMS Duke of Wellington when she became the flagship on 2 March 1869. Cumming remained on the Duke of Wellington, on harbour service duties, until 26 February 1870.
