<P> For the next year scores of American ships were condemned in admiralty courts and American seamen were impressed with increasing frequency until, in the early summer of 1807, when three deserters from the British frigate HMS Melampus lying in Chesapeake Bay enlisted on the American frigate USS Chesapeake . After searching the Chesapeake, the deserters, David Martin, John Strachan, and William Ware, were found to be native - born Americans who had been wrongly impressed . The search also established that another crew member listed as Jenkin Ratford, was actually a British deserter, but he could not be found . Admiral Berkeley angrily issued an order to all commanders in the North Atlantic Squadron to search the Chesapeake if encountered on the high seas . Eight miles southeast of Cape Henry a boat from the British frigate HMS Leopard intercepted her but Commodore Barron declined to permit his crew to be mustered . The Leopard began approaching and the commander shouted a warning to which Barron replied "I don't hear what you say". The Leopard then fired two shots across the bow and almost immediately poured a broadside into the American ship . The Chesapeake did not return fire but the British ship fired another two broadsides . Three crew were killed and eighteen wounded . The British boarding party not only arrested the British deserter but also the three Americans . The Chesapeake--Leopard Affair provoked an outcry for war from all parts of the country and Jefferson later wrote: "The affair of the Chesapeake put war into my hand, I had only to open it and let havoc loose". He ordered the state governors to ready their militias but the Embargo Act of 1807 he eventually passed only ordered all British armed vessels out of American waters and forbade all contact with them if they remained . </P> <P> As a cause of the War of 1812, the impressment and ship seizures caused serious diplomatic tension, and helped to turn American public opinion against Britain . Impressment was widely perceived as humiliating and dishonoring the U.S. because it was unable to protect its ships and sailors . </P> <P> Britain fought the war against Napoleon on the high seas, enlarging its Royal Navy from 135 ships in 1793 to 584 in 1812, and expanding personnel from 36,000 seamen in 1793 to 114,000 in 1812 . In Spring 1814, Napoleon surrendered, the British restored the Bourbon kings to the throne, and France was now an ally of Great Britain . The French Navy and the French merchant Marine switched sides, and the naval war in Europe was over . Britain could now sharply reduce its Royal Navy . It had no need to impress sailors, and never again used that technique against Americans, although it did not officially renounce the practice . In the next war, against Russia in 1853, a new system of fixed - term engagements gave the Royal Navy a sufficient number of volunteer recruits to meet its manpower needs until World War I, when conscription was used for all the military services . In the intervening period, with much reduced manpower needs and improved conditions of service, the navy was able to rely on voluntary enlistment, plus the recall of reservists when necessary, to meet its requirements . </P> <P> The first Act of Parliament legalising this practice was passed in the reign of Queen Elizabeth in 1563 and was known as "an act touching political considerations for the maintenance of the navy". It was renewed many times until 1631 . In the Vagabonds Act 1597, several lists of persons were subject to impressment for service in the fleet . </P>

Taking sailors from their ships and forcing them into duty