Ushakov and Russian naval effectiveness

Ushakov was an unusually successful and experienced Russian commander, selected after extensive service in the Russo-Turkish wars. By the time of Corfu, he was 53 or 54 and had spent more than three decades in the navy. He is credited with taking part in or commanding 43 naval battles without losing a battle or a ship. He expected officers and sailors to know their jobs and favoured merit over courtly display. Because his own advancement rested on victory rather than wealth or court connections, he needed subordinates whose training would not fail him in battle. Alexander I's later suspicion of Ushakov illustrates the political risk faced by a victorious officer whose standing came from achievement rather than court influence. Under Ushakov, the quality of one Russian squadron could approach Dutch standards. The wider Russian fleet still lacked the Royal Navy's scale and sailing experience because Russia's geography and land frontiers kept the army dominant.