owing to the immense number of our sailors, and the extent of our commerce, we were enabled by impressment and other means, to fit out and man a powerful fleet in a few weeks

A month later the governors of six more states, meeting in conference, enigmatically urged the impressment of slaves for “the public service as may be required.”

[…] in years when need was pressing, […] the government would order the construction of extra ships at specified points on the shores of the Black Sea and Mediterranean, and the impressment of craftsmen to do the work.

Impressment

Meaning

Noun

Origin

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