Pressed men were thought more likely to desert than volunteers, although the recorded data did not support that reputation for desertion. They were also considered more troublesome. A volunteer crew consequently seemed easier to motivate. Those expectations helped explain the preference for volunteers, even where the evidence for greater desertion among pressed men was weak.
Notable Point · 17:23-17:52
Pressed men carried a reputation for desertion
The Navy considered volunteers easier to motivate, although the recorded data did not support the belief that pressed men deserted more often.