Admiral Tyrwhitt's rules for retaliatory fire

The memorandum discouraged wasteful gunfire because ineffective bombardment carried political, economic, and morale costs. Commanders could return fire when a target was definitely located and the shooting would be effective. They also retained emergency authority to protect British lives in imminent danger. When immediate retaliation was impossible, they had to report the target and circumstances so another unit could conduct a deliberate punitive action. The orders were forceful, but they imposed identification, proportional economy, and reporting requirements on local commanders. Their survival in Foreign Office records illustrates how closely naval coercion and diplomacy were coordinated.