The American Pacific Fleet is an instrument of policy, rather than that of diplomacy. 美国太平洋舰队是政策的工具,而不是外交的工具。
And the entire destruction of Beiyang Fleet would be attributed to the policy of "defending the ships by avoiding battles" by Lihongzhang. 因此,“避战保船”的不是李鸿章,而是北洋舰队的提督丁汝昌。