A commission of flag officers and captains was installed at the Naval Department
at London to discuss the measures needed to be taken to be assure of enough
qualified sailors despite under which circumstances. The morning newspaper
Herald suspected that the Duke of Northumberland now head of the British navy
threw away this plan of his predecessor while promising the Parliament to come
with a definite solution. The problem was what to do to be assure that England
wooden parapet [=ships] was filled up with guards alive [=sailors] without
needing the notorious system of the pressgang. The plan of his predecessor was
approved by the Parliament according to which sailors of the merchant trade
shipping were invited to sign on in reserve service while being paid a certain
amount of black market money. If necessary they had to leave immediately their
ships and to report by the nearest British commanding navy officer.
