Why Admiral Lee's gunnery would decide a duel with Beatty

Who would win a battleship duel between David Beatty and Willis Lee?

Willis Lee is favored because his ship would be more likely to hit first and keep hitting, even if Beatty opened fire sooner.

The answer expects Beatty's ship to open fire quickly, reflecting the emphasis placed on aggressive action. It nevertheless gives the contest to Admiral Willis Lee because accurate fire control would place the first effective hits. Repeated hits matter more than merely firing first when two capital ships exchange heavy shells. The comparison turns a playful duel into a compact lesson about the difference between rate of fire and fire-control quality.