It must be observed, that every man of war, privateer, and merchant ship, is obliged to take a certain number of boys, which are considered both as necessary to the ship, and a nursery for seamen; thus in every sixty gun ship of 400 men, the Captain and officers require thirty servants. These it was impossible to obtain at the breaking out of the war; the society therefore sought for them among the vagrants, the pilferers, and those whose extreme poverty and ignorance rendered them pernicious to the community; and also endeavoured to assist the Captains and officers in the sea service, by encouraging the industrious poor to send their children to sea; and by inviting all who were fit for the sea service to enter into it: stout lads who were covered with nastiness and had no means of support, were cleaned, well fed, and provided with lodgings; and if any of the men or boys were distempered, as sometimes happened, by mere wretchedness, filth, hunger, or the use of bad food, they were properly physicked and put in a condition to go on board; while those who were more happy in having friends to provide for them, were appointed to come to the office, where they were to be cloathed, and all were fitted with cloathing and bedding by the society, and sent clean, as well as properly dressed, on board his Majesty’s ships. Of these boys they took some of thirteen years of age; but chiefly invited stout lads of sixteen and upwards, because they would soon become able seamen; and now they take none who are less than four feet four inches in height. The greatest care imaginable is taken not to give any master, mistress, or parent, the least reason to complain. These have been always invited to see the boys when they are cloathed, on Thursday mornings at Mr. Fielding’s house; and again when they are examined and sent to their respective ships by the society, at the Seamens office over the Royal Exchange; and if any apprentice or son is required by his master or parents, he is delivered up immediately. As to the landmen, they are required to be hardy, active, and robust; these, to prevent their being despised by the sailors, are immediately cloathed as seamen, and so divided among the messes of the mariners, as will soonest enable them to learn their language and duty, and they are completely fitted out without being obliged to expend any part of the bounty of thirty shillings, granted by his Majesty to all the landmen who enter into the service. What gives the higher idea of this society, is, that several of its members are active, and particularly Mr. Fielding, in collecting many of the boys who are in the most abject condition: they assist and relieve each other in a task by which they are to gain nothing, but the applause of their own hearts.