Career
Promoted to captain on 31 December 1885, Watson became commanding officer of the cruiser HMS Leander in February 1889 and commanding officer of the battleship HMS Royal Oak in January 1896. He went on to be Captain Superintendent, Pembroke Dockyard in October 1896, and Admiral Superintendent, Malta Dockyard in February 1900. When Lord Charles Beresford resigned as Second-in-Command of the Mediterranean Fleet in January 1902, Watson was appointed to succeed him, taking over the battleship HMS Ramillies as his flag ship.
