Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Dedication
- List of Illustrations
- Preface
- Introduction
- 1 The Route to War, 1738–1739
- 2 Mobilisation and the Outbreak of War, June–October 1739
- 3 The Opening Moves, October 1739–January 1741
- 4 The Widening War and the Fall of Sir Robert Walpole, January 1741– February 1742
- 5 Shifting Focus, the Growth of the Continental Commitment, February–December 1742
- 6 The Continental Commitment, January 1743–February 1744
- 7 War with France and Crisis of the Worms Policy, February 1744–December 1744
- 8 Rebellion and the End of the Flanders Policy, January–December 1745
- 9 Europe and America: the Critical Balance, January–December 1746
- 10 Newcastle’s War: the End in Europe and America, January 1747–October 1748
- 11 Conclusion: The Peace and British Naval Power
- Bibliography
- Index
2 - Mobilisation and the Outbreak of War, June–October 1739
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 11 March 2023
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Dedication
- List of Illustrations
- Preface
- Introduction
- 1 The Route to War, 1738–1739
- 2 Mobilisation and the Outbreak of War, June–October 1739
- 3 The Opening Moves, October 1739–January 1741
- 4 The Widening War and the Fall of Sir Robert Walpole, January 1741– February 1742
- 5 Shifting Focus, the Growth of the Continental Commitment, February–December 1742
- 6 The Continental Commitment, January 1743–February 1744
- 7 War with France and Crisis of the Worms Policy, February 1744–December 1744
- 8 Rebellion and the End of the Flanders Policy, January–December 1745
- 9 Europe and America: the Critical Balance, January–December 1746
- 10 Newcastle’s War: the End in Europe and America, January 1747–October 1748
- 11 Conclusion: The Peace and British Naval Power
- Bibliography
- Index
Summary
Mobilisation and Diplomacy
On the evening of 3 June, the die had been cast and Britain was committed to hostilities with Spain. Over the following days the orders went out from the secretaries of state's offices for preparations to begin. Bringing the fleet up to operational standard was not an easy process in the eighteenth century. One of the vital resources for mobilising the fleet was manpower. The navy drew its seamen from the maritime communities of the kingdom as and when it needed them. However, in early summer, with maritime commerce at its annual peak of activity, there were few unemployed seamen lingering ashore. A further problem was that while the wages of seamen in the Royal Navy were fixed, those in merchant service fluctuated with the market conditions. Generally, merchant wages were higher than those in the navy, and the sudden additional demand for seamen from the Royal Navy, would, inevitably, place an upward pressure on wage rates, further widening the pay gap between the navy and the merchants. This was well understood and the state possessed legal instruments of coercion and encouragement to meet such emergencies as this. On the 5 June the Admiralty issued press warrants to naval officers to begin manning the fleet. Shortly afterwards, on the 11 June, orders were sent to all ships’ masters prohibiting them from releasing men from the service until further notice. On the 15 June a proclamation was issued providing an additional bounty to encourage seamen to enlist freely in the navy. On the following day, the Privy Council approved an Admiralty request for an embargo on all shipping leaving British ports until the fleet was manned. The rapid response of the government in taking these measures was not just a recognition of the time it would take, but also an attempt to make the most of popular support for the war before the economic effects of an embargo began to bite on the merchant community, further destabilising the political situation.
While the basic logistical orders were being sent out, the ministry had to address the emergent diplomatic situation. Walpole had lost the political battle against the war, but his main argument – the impact it would have on the wider diplomatic position – had not been countered or discredited.
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- The Emergence of Britain's Global Naval SupremacyThe War of 1739-1748, pp. 29 - 56Publisher: Boydell & BrewerPrint publication year: 2010