If you lost your command you automatically faced a court-martial, same today. If it was found that you had done everything expected of you than you were exonerated.
The French navy shot itself in the foot by purging competent aristocratic or politically-suspect officers during the revolution and it never really recovered from this. Being cooped up in port under blockade year after year seriously degraded the quality of their crews whereas Royal Navy crews were often at sea for years on end becoming masters of their craft.
A strong navy was essential for Britain's survival so the Royal Navy got vast resources whereas the army was not essential so received the leavings both in money and manpower. For the French it was the opposite.