George Cockburn manages the transition from sail to steam

Cockburn defended collective board authority even against the future William IV when the Duke of Clarence acted independently as Lord High Admiral. In repeated terms as senior naval leader, he helped establish formal gunnery training and managed paddle and screw-steam developments. As skilled sailors gained civilian employment options, he also sought alternatives to physical punishment, including loss of pay and other administrative penalties alongside benefits for good service. Although he opposed abolishing the Navy Board, his insistence that its essential functions survive helped shape the powerful Third Sea Lord and Controller arrangement.