, but the Americans ignored the practice of the French Navy, which had declared a counter-blockade of the British Isles and had seized American ships. The British made more seizures than the French because the British "Navy had greater command of the seas. The second, more insulting, type of outrage was the capture of men from American vessels for forced service in the Royal Navy. The pretext for impressment was the search for deserters, who, the British claimed, had taken employment on American vessels" ("The War of 1812", 1998, p. 1). Ordinary Americans reacted to impressment much more passionately than to the seizure of ships and cargoes. On the other hand, the maritime int!
             erests of the eastern seaboard were willing to take an occasional loss of cargo, and even a few men. in order to avoid having their highly profitable trade cut off by war with England. They demanded naval protection only when they began losing too many cargoes. On the other hand, the ship owners did not suffer any financial lo
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