text_original: There was a way, however, better than that of being pressed: it was to enter as a volunteer. It must be remembered that the service was not then governed by the same rigid rules as now prevail. A man might, and sometimes did, obtain a commission in the navy without going through the preliminary and lower ranks. The branch in which a man with a practical knowledge of seamanship might reasonably hope to rise was that of master's mate first and master afterwards.
text_transcription: THERE WAS A WAY HOWEVER BETTER THAN THAT OF BEING PRESSED IT WAS TO ENTER AS A VOLUNTEER IT MUST BE REMEMBERED THAT THE SERVICE WAS NOT THEN GOVERNED BY THE SAME RIGID RULES AS NOW PREVAIL A MAN MIGHT AND SOMETIMES DID OBTAIN A COMMISSION IN THE NAVY WITHOUT GOING THROUGH THE PRELIMINARY AND LOWER RANKS THE BRANCH IN WHICH A MAN WITH A PRACTICAL KNOWLEDGE OF SEAMANSHIP MIGHT REASONABLY HOPE TO RISE WAS THAT OF MASTER'S MATE FIRST AND MASTER AFTERWARDS
phonemes: ðɛɹwˌʌz ɐ wˈeɪ, haʊˈɛvɚ, bˈɛɾɚ ðɐn ðæt ʌv bˌiːɪŋ pɹˈɛst: ɪt wʌz tʊ ˈɛntɚɹ æz ɐ vˌɑːləntˈɪɹ. ɪt mˈʌst biː ɹᵻmˈɛmbɚd ðætðə sˈɜːvɪs wʌz nˌɑːt ðˈɛn ɡˈʌvɚnd baɪ ðə sˈeɪm ɹˈɪdʒɪd ɹˈuːlz æz nˈaʊ pɹɪvˈeɪl. ɐ mˈæn mˈaɪt, ænd sˈʌmtaɪmz dˈɪd, əbtˈeɪn ɐ kəmˈɪʃən ɪnðə nˈeɪvi wɪðˌaʊt ɡˌoʊɪŋ θɹuː ðə pɹɪlˈɪmɪnˌɛɹi ænd lˈoʊɚ ɹˈæŋks. ðə bɹˈæntʃ ɪnwˌɪtʃ ɐ mˈæn wɪð ɐ pɹˈæktɪkəl nˈɑːlɪdʒ ʌv sˈiːmənʃˌɪp mˌaɪt ɹˈiːzənəbli hˈoʊp tə ɹˈaɪz wʌz ðæt ʌv mˈæstɚz mˈeɪt fˈɜːst ænd mˈæstɚɹ ˈæftɚwɚdz.