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AwM<br />

Chapter XXVIII.<br />

THE PRESS-GANG IN YORKSHIRE.<br />

than half a century has rolled away<br />

"; ISmjpI since the cruelties of the press-gang were in<br />

I(tW*I operation; but there are some yet livingwho<br />

\s^3g&^ can testify to the inhuman practices of those<br />

i^^^<br />

t<br />

who wereemployed for the purpose of com-<br />

pellingmen to leave their peaceful homes to fight<br />

for what was calledthe " glory " of their country.<br />

The volunteer movement has now excluded the probability<br />

of similar occurrences as we are about to relate<br />

everhappeningagain;but it is well to remember that<br />

there was a time when the mere mention of the pressgang<br />

was sufficient to cast gloom in many an otherwise<br />

happy household. It was well known that those who<br />

were the strongest, and those to whom the family had to<br />

lookfor their daily bread, were liable at any moment to<br />

be seized by the unmerciful ruffians who were engagedto<br />

keep up a supply of able-bodied men for the army and<br />

navy. It was chiefly in the time of GeorgeIII.,when<br />

our brave countrymen'sblood was being spilt asifit were<br />

valuelessin the terrible French wars, that these human<br />

bloodhounds were engagedin their desperateoccupation.

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