In the latest meeting of
the House of Lords exhorted one member the government urgently to do everything
despite the costs to obtain sufficient and adequate sailors for the navy. The
fact that British sailors could earn more in the merchant trade shipping or in
the North American service attracted quite a lot of men. In his opinion no one
would object to pay a sailor in the navy as much as elsewhere. The Duke of
Northumberland responsible for the navy mentioned the new commission appointed
to research this topic but couldn’t supply more specific details. The newspaper
Times suggested that a so-called sea militia of reserve of sailors just like
the civil militia, trained regularly and to consist of fishermen, sailors of
coasters could solve the problem. These men were only required in the navy in
case of war.
