Why an officer's recruiting reputation affected his career

What happened to unpopular officers who could not attract crews?

Difficulty recruiting a first ship could keep an unpopular officer from receiving another command.

Officer-led recruiting also tested command reputation. A captain unable to persuade sailors to join faced an immediate disadvantage in commissioning and operating his ship. Because popular officers could carry a trusted following between commands, the Admiralty had a practical reason to prefer them for new appointments. An officer who struggled to crew his first command might consequently receive no second ship. Personnel policy was therefore tied to leadership performance as well as coercive recruiting powers.