In September 1900 Harold joined HMS Phaeton (below) as Lieutenant of Marines
Phaeton was based at headquarters of the Royal Navy Pacific Fleet in Esquimault British Columbia, on the West coast of Canada
Arethusa, sister ship of Phaeton in the dock at Esquimault 1904
Phaeton in Esquimault 1903
note the extra wide stern accommodation for the officers
The British Pacific fleet had been based in Valparaiso Chile but aound 1850 moved to a newly created base in Esquimault to be in a better position to defend Vancouver from the United States. The fleet patrol down the West cost of North and South America visiting places such as Lima and Panama, and across to Hawaii.