Sentence:  But the "Golden Lion" was ambushed by a Naval frigate thinking that a <WSD>whaler′s</WSD> crew would be useful pressed men. The <WSD>whaler′s</WSD> crew didn′t agree, and there was a bloody skirmish on shore between the press gang and the crew of the "Golden Lion" which caused such a scandal that from then on <WSD>whalers′</WSD> men were exempt from conscription. 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  A seagoing vessel used for hunting whales.