I understand a situation so. The column cannot faster move the slowest ship. More often the most damaged ship in a column is the first. The more damages at the ship the less its speed. If speed of the first ship that and all the others falls. If to give the chance to change the leader of a column it all the same will faster not float.
But if to add such possibility the new leader on which less than damages will brake a column less the ambassador of reception of new damages.
Now let's look history. Admiral David Glasgow Farragut never changed the leader. 1864 Schleswig War - there is no change of leaders. 1864-70 Triple Alliance War - there is no change of the leader in fight. 1864-66 Guano War - there is no change of the leader in fight. 1866 Austro-Italian War - change of the leader at Italy before fight has deprived a management squadron. Change of the leader during fight is not possible. Fighting instructions describe an order of change of the leader in fight. After an exit of the leader from battle by the new leader there is a ship following it.
Why commanders of squadrons always by the biggest and powerful ship. Because it should sustain most of all damages.
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