Could another admiral have replaced Beatty?

Was another officer available to replace Beatty for this command?

Yes; Hood and other vice admirals were available, and although not necessarily better tacticians, they were less likely to repeat Beatty's signaling mistakes.

Horace Hood and other vice admirals were plausible alternatives, although they might not have positioned the force better. Beatty's approach to the chase and his use of the wind were tactically sound. The failure lay in target distribution, command succession, and the wording and verification of signals. Those responsibilities remained with the flag officer even when a signals lieutenant physically hoisted the flags. The answer therefore separates Beatty's genuine strengths from the command failures that prevented a much larger victory.