Published in 1813, this groundbreaking work by Thomas Hodgskin is a scathing critique of the British Navy and its system of press gangs. Drawing on his own experiences as a sailor, Hodgskin exposes the brutality and injustice of the press gang system, arguing that it not only harms the sailors who are forced into service, but also undermines the moral and political fabric of the nation. With a compelling mix of personal testimony, political analysis and economic theory, this is a book that played a key role in shaping the debate on naval discipline, and continues to be of relevance to historians and political theorists today. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.