80 CAPTAIN ZACHARY G. LAMSON 



the Massachusetts House of Representa- 

 tives, 1 stated, that, in his opinion, five per 

 cent of the men serving on American ves- 

 sels were native-born Englishmen. 2 Higher 

 pay, better food, less rigid discipline and 

 the desire to avoid the dangers of war de- 

 pleted the crews of English vessels, and 

 brought the deserters to the American 

 service. 



That England should wish to reclaim 

 these men was natural; that, having the 

 power, she should insist on doing so was 

 inevitable. How it was done, with what 

 consideration and justice the force was ad- 

 ministered, depended on the character of 

 the English officers in command. The 

 actual investigation was considered too 

 trifling a circumstance to demand the pre- 

 sence of an English captain, and his lieuten- 



1 Report of the Committee of the House of Repre- 

 sentatives of Massachusetts, 1813, p. 43. 



"Three quarters of the sailors serving on vessels 

 owned in Southern ports of the United States, were said 

 to be Englishmen." Mr. Madison's War. 



