See also:

• PRESS (through Fr. presse from Lat. pressare, frequentative of premere, to crush, squeeze, press)

PRESS GANG  , the popular name for the companies of See also:

• OFFICERS

officers and men who were commissioned to execute the warrants for the See also:

• IMPRESSMENT

impressment of See also:

• SEAMEN, LAWS RELATING TO

seamen in See also:

• GREAT

Great See also:

• BRITAIN (Gr. Hperavuml vi7vot, Bperravia; Lat. Britannia, rarely Britannia)

Britain (see IMPRESSMENT) . These bodies consisted of a See also:

• CAPTAIN (derived from Lat. ca put, head, through the Low Lat. capitanus)

captain, one or more lieutenants, and a See also:

• BAND

band of trustworthy men . They were sent to seaports, or occasionally to inland towns where sailors were likely to be met when going from one See also:

• COAST (from Lat. costa, a rib, side)

coast to another . A " See also:

• RENDEZVOUS

rendezvous " was opened, See also:

• VOLUNTEERS

volunteers were enlisted, deserters arrested, and such " able bodied persons " as were liable to be pressed for service in the See also:

• FLEET

fleet were seized, and sent to the guard See also:

• SHIPS

ships (q.v.) .