> > >The British were also looking for sailors who had deserted their posts >and pretended to be Americans. However, the conditions in the Royal Navy were >horrible. Otherwise honorable sailors were forced to escape this brutal service. > May I suggest that you do more research into the British Navy of the Napoleanic period? You are perpetuating two myths: 1)looking for deserters, and 2)terrible conditions. In the case of stopping American ships and pressing supposedly British sailors, there is certainly evidence. But there is a lot more to press gangs, and their "recruits" than that. A shortage of manpower was at the root of it, and, again contrary to popular belief, mainly sailors were impressed - not just any able bodied male. Impressment is only another name for conscription. While conditions aboard Royal Navy ships seem bad by modern standards, there is ample evidence to support the fact that, generally, they were far better than those found on merchant ships of the period. -- Sue McLean smaclean@deadsquid.com