Why small-ship commands attracted risk-tolerant officers

Did small ships attract unusually risk-tolerant commanders?

Often yes: their independent work rewarded initiative, and their commanders tended to be younger, although small-ship command could also be a step toward larger ships.

The joke that small-ship commanders were poor authors of cautious risk assessments carries an institutional point. Younger officers often received smaller commands, their missions demanded decisions away from a fleet commander, and the ships were less strategically irreplaceable than a first rate. Small-ship service could therefore suit specialists or serve as a proving ground for later major commands.