It was a quarter-past three when the procession, on its return, reached Temple Bar, and it was noted that the King looked more cheerful, whilst the Queen was in high spirits.
London was, of course, brilliantly illuminated at night.
This is the principal event of the year, and with it we will close 1789.
As far as England, and its social economy, is concerned, 1790 is very barren. In France, there was the commencement of that dreadful revolution which terrorised all Europe, yet strangely enough all allusion to France was omitted in the Royal Speeches to Parliament, either on 21st January or 26th November.
The navy sadly wanted manning, so much so that a proclamation was issued for encouraging seamen, and landsmen, to enter themselves on board His Majesty's ships of war; that officers on foreign stations should join their respective corps, and recalling, and prohibiting seamen from serving foreign princes, and states. This was all very well, for the fleet was in urgent need of men, owing to the number of ships being put in commission, and ordered to be got ready for sea with the greatest expedition: for instance—
- At Deptford, 3;
- " Woolwich, 3;
- " Chatham, 3;
- " Sheerness, 3;
- " Portsmouth, 10 (one 100, and another 98 guns);
- " Plymouth, 7 (one 100 another 80 guns);
besides others which were expected to be commissioned in a few days.
Ordinary means were not sufficient to provide men, and resort was made to impressment, a mode of obtaining seamen which is of ancient practice. In 1378 a statute of 2 Richard II. speaks of it as being well known, and so it must have been, for the first commission for its use was issued 29 Edward III., 1355. In 1641, Parliament declared the practice illegal, either for the land or sea service; but this has always been ignored when the necessity for seamen arose. It has been regulated by Parliament even so lately as 1835, when, by the statute 5 and 6 William IV., compulsory service is restricted to five years.
How should we feel if some day, in reading our morning paper, we should come across such a passage as the following:—"A very hot press took place in the river Thames, and at all the outports"?—Would you like to know what a "hot press" means?—then learn from the following excerpts from the St. James's Chronicle, May 4-6, 1790:—
"The report of the number pressed in the river on Tuesday night was delivered to the Lords of the Admiralty yesterday morning, which amounted to about 1500 taken in Wapping, and in Southwark, &c., more than 600; amounting in the whole to upwards of 2100 men, besides those at the different seaport towns, reports of which were not received."