Impressment facts for kids
Impressment (the Press) was the act of forcing men to serve in the navy. The people who were "pressed" to join the navy were usually young men. A naval officer would lead a press gang and force men onto warships where they were made to serve as sailors. Their families (if they had families) seldom knew where they had been taken.
This was a normal practice in the Royal Navy during the 17th, 18th and early 19th centuries. Many people said that it should be stopped, but the Navy said it was a good way to get sailors who were needed to defend their country. After the Napoleonic Wars the need for sailors was less and the Navy stopped impressing them.
Images for kids
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The Press-gang, oil painting by Luke Clennell
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Captain John Quilliam RN. Quilliam was impressed into the Royal Navy in 1794. Unlike most impressed sailors, Quilliam rose rapidly in the Royal Navy and by 1797 had attained the rank of midshipman. He served with distinction at the Battle of Trafalgar, as first lieutenant on HMS Victory, before being promoted to the rank of captain, serving on the Newfoundland Station. He retired from the Royal Navy in 1815.
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James Gillray (1756-1815) "The Liberty of the Subject" 15 Oct 1779
See also
In Spanish: Leva para niños
