A captain or first lieutenant moving to a new ship could bring experienced personnel with him, while a decommissioned crew could be offered a bounty to join another command. An extra grog ration, familiar officers and promotion opportunities made that invitation more attractive. The prospect of a profitable cruise added another incentive. Existing working relationships created a nucleus able to turn newcomers into a crew. Voluntary transfers also avoided some of the complaints that impressment generated: merchant companies complained to local MPs, who passed those complaints to the Admiralty. In a crisis the Admiralty accepted that burden, but recruiting through established followings reduced it.
Notable Point · 1:30:20-1:36:10
Moving a trained crew to a new command
Joining bounties, an extra grog ration and familiar officers could draw a trained crew into a newly commissioned ship.