 Promoted to captain on 30 June 1901, he was in February 1902 appointed to , flagship of the Mediterranean Fleet, as an additional officer for duty with torpedo boat destroyers in the Mediterranean.From April 1902, this included command of the ironclad , depot-ship at Malta for torpedo boats.In September that year, he was posted to the armoured cruiser , and was the first captain to commission her as she was completed in November that year.