by Admiral John Fisher. After two years he was promoted to captain on 26 June 1902, and again transferred to for service at the Admiralty. The following year he was chosen as flag captain for Vice-Admiral Lord Charles Beresford in the channel squadron, commanding 1903–1904 and 1904–1905. Beresford was acquainted with Evan-Thomas before the appointment, having sought advice from him on the new signal book when himself appointed second in command of the Mediterranean squadron in January 1900. Evan-Thomas was his second choice when he could not get Captain Percy Scott. When Beresford departed as commander of the channel fleet he commented, I 'heartily give you all the credit you so richly deserve for making Caesar the most brilliantly smart ship on the water', and 'you are certain of a most brilliant career in the service and are sure to become one of Britain's most efficient admirals'. Evan-Thomas was now also in a position to himself assist other officers up the career ladder, and received formal thanks from Commander Michael Culme-Seymour, son of his previous commander, for help in obtaining promotion. A note from Lord Knollys to Beresford commended Evan-Thomas for good results in gunnery trials. Service at the Admiralty In 1905 Evan-Thomas became captain of the yacht , which was reserved for the use of the first lord of the admiralty (the government minister in charge of the navy). Shortly afterwards he became Naval Secretary to the First Lord and continued in that post under Lord Cawdor, Lord Tweedsmouth and Reginald McKenna. This was the period when John Fisher was first Sea Lord, and considerable changes were taking place in the composition of the navy. Although on good terms with his former commander Beresford, he also maintained a good working relationship with Fisher, despite the growing public feud between the two admirals. In 1908 he returned to sea in command of the new dreadnought battleship , the second of the new class of ships being created by Fisher. Bellerophon joined the Home Fleet commanded by Admiral Sir William May, who had once been Evan-Thomas' commander when onboard Ramillies. During fleet exercise in 1909, Bellerophon was given the task of 'fast scout', for the red fleet. On one day, she detected a group of four cruisers from the opposing red fleet, and was duly deemed to have sunk them, to the congratulations of all, including newspapers reporting the events. However,