Using capable admirals as a form of deterrence

The station alternated officers suited to forceful action and diplomacy. Reginald Tyrwhitt brought a formidable war-fighting reputation, while Arthur Waistell demonstrated diplomatic skill by hosting Chinese leaders and the diplomatic corps aboard HMS Kent. Both styles were valuable in a theater where coercion and political access had to reinforce one another. Their selection was itself strategic because sending first-rate admirals cost less than adding a major force. Japanese officers who repeatedly met Britain's strongest commanders might infer that the wider Royal Navy possessed the same quality. Personnel selection thus became a concrete element of deterrence.