北洋水師
In 1880, Deng was transferred to the Beiyang Fleet and sent to Britain to receive and escort the cruiser "Yangwei" back to China. Upon his return, he was appointed as the "guandai" (Captain) of the "Yangwei". In 1887, he was sent to Britain again to receive the protected cruiser , and was subsequently appointed as its "guandai". He was also promoted to the position of a "fujiang" (副將; two ranks below "tidu") in the central administration of the Beiyang Fleet. At the time, Deng was the only "guandai" in the Beiyang Fleet who was not educated or trained outside of China. In 1891, when Li Hongzhang, the Viceroy of the Capital Province, inspected the Beiyang Fleet, he was so impressed with how Deng trained his sailors that he awarded Deng the honorary title of a "baturu".