▁region ▁with ▁the ▁Rus so - T urk ish ▁War ▁at ▁its ▁peak . ▁He ▁then ▁became ▁Junior ▁Naval ▁Lord ▁in ▁the ▁Second ▁Dis ra eli ▁min istry ▁in ▁December ▁ 1 8 7 9 ▁where ▁he ▁sat ▁until ▁the ▁Government ▁fell ▁in ▁May ▁ 1 8 8 0 . ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 8 8 0 ▁general ▁election ▁he ▁stood ▁un success fully ▁for ▁parliament ▁at ▁South am pton . ▁ ▁Prom oted ▁to ▁vice ▁adm iral ▁on ▁ 1 9 ▁January ▁ 1 8 8 1 , ▁Com mer ell ▁became ▁Commander ▁in ▁Chief , ▁North ▁America ▁and ▁West ▁Ind ies ▁Station , ▁with ▁his ▁flag ▁in ▁the ▁arm oured ▁cru iser ▁HMS ▁North am pton , ▁in ▁November ▁ 1 8 8 2 . ▁At ▁the ▁ 1 8 8 5 ▁general ▁election ▁he ▁was ▁elected ▁Member ▁of ▁Parliament ▁for ▁the ▁South am pton ▁seat , ▁which ▁he ▁held ▁until ▁he ▁res igned ▁from ▁the ▁House ▁of ▁Commons ▁on ▁ 1 5 ▁May ▁ 1 8 8 8 . ▁As ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁parliament ▁he ▁lo bb ied ▁hard ▁for ▁the ▁Naval ▁Def ence ▁Bill . ▁ ▁Prom oted ▁to ▁full ▁adm iral ▁on ▁ 1 2 ▁April ▁ 1 8 8 6 , ▁Com mer ell ▁became ▁was ▁advanced ▁to ▁Knight ▁Grand ▁Cross ▁of ▁the ▁Order ▁of ▁the ▁Bath ▁on ▁ 2 1 ▁June ▁ 1 8 8 7 ▁and ▁became ▁Commander - in - Ch ief , ▁Port sm outh ▁in ▁June ▁ 1 8 8 8 .