Admiral Duncan as an overlooked Age of Sail leader

Who is the best Age of Sail admiral most people have never heard of?

Adam Duncan, whose balanced leadership and lasting reputation inside the Royal Navy deserve wider recognition.

Duncan is presented as a steady commander rather than a self-promoting celebrity. He could be compassionate when circumstances allowed, but he was also forceful when discipline or mutiny demanded it. Seven Royal Navy ships carrying the name Duncan are contrasted with the smaller number named for Nelson. That repeated commemoration is offered as institutional recognition of a leader whose public profile remains much lower than Nelson's or Cochrane's.