It was forgotten that at Trafalgar no tactical instruction emanated from the flagship after the fighting started; or that the battle would have ended much as it did if Nelson had been killed with the first shot, because his subordinates understood exactly his purposes and how each could best contribute to their realization. Now it was assumed that any admiral, who quite likely owed his rank to his sometime management of paintwork and obsolete seamanship acrobatics, would supply his subordinates with detailed and brilliant orders which need only be obeyed to the letter to bring about a new
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