Re: But if the admiral is a line officer....

I read once of an unfortunent incident in the Royal Navy where the Captains (Commanding Officers, Skippers etc.) refused to countermand the orders of their Admiral, and which resulted in the sinking of a capitol ship. IIRC the time was early 20th. century, and the small fleet (task force) was steaming in two columns some distance apart. The Admiral in charge of the fleet ordered the columns to turn 180 degrees toward each other and form two columns close togather. As the maneuver began it quickly became obvious that the columns would actually intersect. The Admiral refused to change his order and the leading vessels collided, causing one of them to sink. As his ship was sinking the Admiral, appearing to be dazed, refused to order abandoning it. The crews of the other ships stood by to began rescue operations, but no one would go against orders. Finally the Admiral, with an almost imperceptable nod, gave permission to abandon, but by then it was too late and many lives were lost. Belatedly wise, the Admiral went down with the ship.

A somewhat similar incident incident occured in the U. S. Navy when the officer comanding a Distroyer Flotilla made an error in a course change and no one questioned it. The result was seven Distroyers lost on the rocks at Point Arguello, Calif. In this case most of the crews were rescued.