"A meeting on the subject of the Navy was held last week at Newcastle, the result of which was, the choosing of a Committee, three of whom are to confer with Mr. Dundas—'to recommend the suspension of the impress, to send into actual service the gangs and crews of the tenders, (amounting, it is said, from seven to ten thousand,) to increase the wages of seamen in the navy, and to pay half of it, monthly, for the support of their families.'"—(Times, Feb. 11, 1795.)
"An Embargo is about to take place on all the shipping in our ports, which it is thought will last SIX WEEKS, or until 20,000 seamen are procured. The embargo was to take place as last night."—(Times, Feb. 19, 1795.)
"There was a very hot press in the river, on Friday night last, when several hundred able seamen were procured. One of the gangs, in attempting to board a Liverpool trader, were resisted by the crew, when a desperate affray took place, in which many of the former were thrown overboard, and the Lieutenant who boarded them, killed by a shot from the vessel."—(Times, June 9, 1795.)
"A very general search for seamen has taken place in the river, for several nights past; such is the greatest want of hands to mix on board the men-of-war now ready at the Nore, Chatham, Sheerness," &c.—(Times, June 18, 1795.)
"The Press gallies are out in the river, night and day, in order to pick up men; the demand for seamen being still very great from the vast quantities of shipping now employed in Government service."—(Times, Aug. 29, 1795.)
"One of the Juries that was impannelled on the Coroner's Inquest, to examine the body of one of the unfortunate men that was killed in the affray that took place between the pressgang, and the sailors, belonging to the 'Maria' of Poole, have returned their verdict of Wilful Murder against the two Lieutenants of the Navy."—(Times, Dec. 5, 1794.)
The following instructive little story will shew how mutinies were made:—
"The mutiny which existed several days on board the 'Culloden' of 74 guns, and which, it is said, originated in the wish of the crew to have the ship docked, previous to her sailing for the West Indies, was, on Wednesday, settled by an order from the Admiralty in the following manner:—'That several Captains were to go on board and inform the crew, unless they immediately returned to their duty, the "Royal George" of 110 guns, and "Queen," of 98 guns, would directly be laid alongside them.' They were allowed half an hour to consider the matter. The officers, and others, who chose to leave the ship, were at liberty so to do. The ship's company several times wanted to make terms, which could not possibly be complied with: in about twenty minutes they all agreed to return to their duty; 12 of the ringleaders were instantly seized, and put in irons, and will no doubt be tried by a Court Martial for the same. During the time the ship was in this mutinous state, the crew flogged several marines because they would not join them, and would have punished the whole, had they gone below."—(Times, Dec. 13, 1794.)
"The cause of the mutiny, on board the 'Culloden,' was briefly this. In coming into Spithead, the 'Sampson,' and 'Culloden,' both run a-ground. The former was a good deal damaged: the latter lost only her rudder, which could easily be repaired at Spithead, but the 'Sampson' was obliged to be carried into dock. Some of the seamen of the 'Culloden,' in a mutinous manner, expressed their doubts of the safety of the ship: and, upon being remonstrated with, insisted upon going into harbour."—(Times, Dec. 16, 1794.)
Which were right, the Sailors, or the Admiralty?