“The Royal Navy in the Age of Sail rarely had trouble finding enough volunteers for fill the muster rolls and good families used their influence and money to secure commissions for their sons. This in spite of the hard conditions of life a sea, the hazards of sickly seasons and bloody wars. Why?”
Press gangs? :)
Press Gangs are much more present in the movies than in reality. Impressment was allowed by law, usually during wartime, but the laws only applied to trained seamen, in other words merchant seamen who had the nautical skills needed by the Navy. An officer who pressed a subject not a seaman could be ruined by a civil court.
Yes, press gangs operated, especially right after a declaration of war when the Navy had to mobilize, but the facts are that the majority of sailors were volunteers. And, certainly press gangs broke the law despite the dangers of doing so. The undoubtedly fact that this occurred made for great political debates and inspired screen writers.