Specimen of a house in "Corn-Hill," from the "Post-Boy," May 7, 1763.
TO BE SOLD,
A Large and Commodious Brick Dwelling-Houſe, pleaſently ſcituated in Corn-Hill: For further particulars Enquire of Green & Ruſſell Printers in Queen-ſtreet.
The "Virginia Gazette" gives an account of an early and bold attempt at British impressment of seamen. This business caused us a great deal of trouble in after years, and was one of the causes of "Madison's War," as the old people were fond of calling it.
The press-gang was one of the peculiar institutions of Great Britain.
BOSTON, October 26, 1767.
By the Virginia Gazette, of the firſt Inſtant, it appears that Captain Morgan, of the Hornet Sloop of War, concerted a bloody riotous Plan, to impreſs Seamen, at Norfolk, for which Purpoſe, his Tender was equipped with Guns and Men, and under Cover of the Night ſaid Morgan landed at a public Wharff, having firſt made proper Diſpoſitions either for an Attack or Retreat, then went to a Tavern, and took a chearful Glaſs, after which they went to work, and took every Perſon they met with, and knocked all down that reſiſted; and dragged them on board the Tender; but the Town ſoon took the Alarm, and being headed by Paul Loyal, Eſq; a Magiſtrate, they endeavoured to convince Capt. Morgan of his Error, and being deaf to all they ſaid he ordered the People in the Tender to fire on the Inhabitants, but they refuſed to obey their Commanders Orders, and he was ſoon obliged to fly, leaving ſome of the Hornets behind, who were ſent to Gaol, but were afterwards releaſed.
Mr. John Ashton, in his recently published work on "Social Life in England at the end of the Eighteenth Century," informs us that one evening in the year 1790, 2,100 men were pressed in London alone, besides many more at the seaport towns.