Political turnover hollows out naval command

Revolution, refusal to serve, and factional distrust removed experienced Dutch officers from service. Promoting junior officers and senior enlisted leaders could fill command posts quickly, but it also opened gaps among the petty officers and non-commissioned specialists who actually ran sections of a ship. Those ranks carried real delegated authority rather than merely honorary titles. The resulting hollowing of the command pipeline helps explain why a relatively junior flag officer held such an important squadron and struggled to control it.