Nelson & His World

Hello all,

in a discussion in another forum I stumbled over a question regarding Irish Seamen (Landsmen):

Have Irish Seamen been liable to impressment into the Royal Navy? If yes: since when? Did the Act of Union play any role in extending "British" Recruitment Laws to Ireland?

Have the Quota Acts also been extended to cover Ireland?

Certainly during the Revolutionary War period in the 1790s (i.e. before the Act of Union of 1800), the Impress Service had depots in Ireland at Londonderry, Belfast, Dublin, Waterford and Cork, with officers and 'gangs' to recruit men for the Navy; just how early they were estalished I am uncertain.

I do not think the Quota Act covered Ireland?

There does seem to have been some difficulty in Ireland with Pressing. In May 1702 Captain Spann, commander of HM Ship Sorlings, had been to Ireland, in an endeavour to get men for the fleet; he complained that

"...neither myself nor my officers were to imprest a seaman on shore on pain of imprisonment, arraignment, and being condemned to death, as Secretary Dawson told my lieutenant. I am told that the lawyers and judges of Dublin have advised that the Lord High Admiral of England has no power to imprest men in Ireland. If so, with submission, English seamen may evade the obligation to serve by merely stepping over to Ireland. This is done, and a proof of it is that, at Cork, I took a man out of a gentleman's pleasure-boat that actually belonged to the Royal William. He had a ticket of leave from Admiral Churchill, which had expired. I have him and his ticket....
Notwithstanding the attitude of the Irish Government, I have procured 65 English sailors to serve in her Majesty's fleet under Admiral Hopson. I have been much threatened by the Secretary (in Ireland), but never imprest a man without first letting the Government or chief magistrate know....."

[from:Calendar of State Papers Domestic: Anne, 1702-3]