Maarten Tromp's caution reflected the structure of Dutch naval power as much as personal temperament. He could balance admiralties that wanted aggressive results with partners that could not afford to risk their few ships. Witte de With was more forceful and more accustomed to directing a force from one admiralty. That style fitted poorly with a fleet assembled from several admiralties and hired vessels, which operated much like an alliance. Replacing Tromp changed the command method without removing the institutional constraints.
Notable Point · 13:32-16:14
De With, Tromp, and coalition command
Replacing Tromp with the more aggressive Witte de With exposed the difficulty of commanding a fleet assembled from competing Dutch interests.