George Rooke appears reserved and cautious, with close attention to whether cabinet or Army demands would ruin the fleet. Cloudesley Shovell was warmer toward officers and crews and worked more easily with Dutch allies, King Charles III of Spain, and Victor Amadeus of Savoy. Lord Peterborough nevertheless criticized Shovell for following initial orders too rigidly when circumstances changed. The comparison shows how coalition command depended on temperament, diplomacy, and judgment as much as courage.
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Rooke and Shovell as coalition commanders
A War of the Spanish Succession reading contrasts Rooke's caution with Shovell's warmth, allied diplomacy, and sometimes rigid obedience to orders.