He returned to sea duty in the East Indies on the sloop and was promoted to captain on 30 June 1882. He was involved in the Egyptian War of 1882 in the transport service at Suez, and was awarded the Order of the Medjidie, Third Class. In February 1883 he was selected to be Director of Marine working for the Government of India; he originally was appointed for five years; he held the post for 15 years. In January 1886 he was also appointed an honorary aide-de-camp to the viceroy of India. He was received thanks from the Indian government for his work during the Burma annexation war of 1885–1886.