China Station operations depend on trusted local command

Distributed command is the second major lesson of the patrols. Officers at the scene were trusted to make consequential decisions rather than waiting for every order from above. Tyrwhitt received that discretion even though his aggressive reputation made the consequences of choosing him especially clear. Telegraph communications did not remove the need for judgment because distant situations remained too complex and changeable for reliable remote control. The system worked only if the commander-in-chief selected and backed officers capable of acting responsibly on the spot.