Sailing warships were specialized commands that an army officer could not simply assume with a transferred commission. A ship of the line had to maneuver under variable wind as part of a coordinated formation while its gunners timed fire around the ship's roll. Without sustained practice, a commander could struggle to handle the ship and coordinate it with the fleet. Calder's long record as a competent seaman therefore mattered even when his strategic judgment as an admiral remained open to criticism.
Notable Point · 9:46-11:30
Why sailing-ship command demanded specialist seamanship
A technical detour explains why moving officers between army and naval command could not substitute for experience handling a ship of the line.