Charles Knowles's influence over Vernon

Captain Charles Knowles was one of the few officers who could challenge Vernon and obtain a hearing. He is treated as Vernon's effective deputy because of that influence, rather than a simple formal order of rank. When an independent command needed a leader, Vernon repeatedly preferred to make Knowles a commodore instead of sending an available rear-admiral. Later discussion also suggests that Knowles and William Gooch maintained one of the few workable relationships across the command team. Personal trust could enable cooperation, but it did not establish authority over the whole expedition.