What patronage did and did not do

Did a noble relative make promotion easier?

Connections could help a candidate find a patron, but an effective captain's support and proven competence mattered more than noble ancestry.

Family connections could provide access without guaranteeing advancement. A relative might introduce a young officer to a captain, but the relevant patron was the officer willing to take him aboard and recommend him onward. A lieutenant did not automatically become a captain. Reaching captain opened a seniority route toward admiral, although an unsuitable officer could still be diverted to a shore appointment such as captain of a port or made an admiral of the yellow. Patronage operated through working naval networks and reputation, and the service retained ways to limit the responsibilities of officers promoted beyond their competence.