In November 1884 he was part of the crew of the Blanco that took that ship back to England for a complete rehaul. In 1885 he was sent to France to join the crew of the Colbert, to study French naval tactics.
In November 1884, he joined the crew of the Blanco and sailed back to England for a thorough refurbishment. The following year, he was sent to France aboard the Colbert to learn about French naval strategy.