Impressment

Impressment (colloquially, "press-ganging") is the act of conscripting people to serve as sailors. It was used by the Royal Navy during the 18th century and early 19th century in time of war as a means of crewing warships, although legal sanction for the practice goes back to the time of King Edward I. The Royal Navy impressed many British merchant sailors, as well as some sailors from other nations of the world in wartime during the 1700s and the early 1800s. People liable to impressment were eligible men of seafaring habits between the ages of 18 and 55 years, though very rarely, non-seamen were impressed as well. If they believed that they were impressed unfairly, pressed men were able to submit appeals to the Admiralty, and those appeals were often successful. It is also important to note that the navy was had little interest in impressing people who were not ordinary or able seamen, since they would be of little use on board a ship.

Related Topics:
Conscripting - Sailor - Royal Navy - 18th century - 19th century - Warship - King Edward I - Seamen - Admiralty - Ordinary - Able seamen

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