Jubilation in the United States at the loss of the Alabama.- Admiral Farragut's criticism on the action. The moral law inoperative in time of war.--The United States and privateering.-United States precedents favourable to the Confederates. Difficulty of settling the affairs of the Alabama and supplying her place. The Sea King, afterwards the Shenandoah.-Correspondence respecting the Shenandoah and the Laurel, with the instructions to the officers concerned.- Smallness of the crew of the Shenandoah.-Volunteers from her prizes. Her cruise amongst the whalers.-Means taken to stop her proceedings at the end of the Civil War.-Her return to Liverpool and delivery to the United States repre- sentatives. Loyalty of the crews of the Confederate cruisers. Admiral Farragut and his achievements.-The Federal and Confederate naval forces compared.-Abortive attempts at shipbuilding in Confederate ports.-The Ordnance Service of the Confederate Navy Department.-Financial arrangements- at Richmond and in Europe.-English ironworkers sent out to the Confederate Government.-The Confederate States Representatives at Bermuda, Nassau, and Havana.-The- purchase and despatch of the Coquette.-Vessels bought for the commercial purposes of the Confederate Government.— Embarrassments arising from speculative contractors and from friendly offers of vessels.-Commander M. F. Maury. The Georgia and the Rappahannock.—The Pampero.-Total cost of favour of the North.-Facts about slavery in America.- English sympathy transferred to the South.-Lack of courtesy and dignity in United States representatives.-The Alabama Claims. Synopsis of the negotiations respecting those claims. -Position of the British Government in regard to them.- Position of the Confederate Agents at the end of the War.- Financial difficulties.-The United States and the property of the Confederate Government.-Proceedings against Messrs. Fraser, Trenholm and Co. by the United States Government. -Presidents Lincoln and Johnson.-The 'reconstruction' of THE SECRET SERVICE OF THE CONFEDERATE STATES IN EUROPE. CHAPTER I. English Political Parties and the Civil War.-Pertinacity of Mr. Secretary Seward.-Vacillation of the Liberal Government.Present Position of the Liberal Party.-The French Proclamation of Neutrality.-Arrangements for building cruisers at Bordeaux.Appropriation of £2,000,000 for Ironclads by Congress.—Financial difficulties.-Propositions to purchase vessels from the French Navy.-Correspondence concerning the vessels building in France. -Deceptive attitude of the French Government.-The vessels sold by their imperative orders.-Panic at Boston and New York regarding the Confederate cruisers. THE Compilers of the 'Case' which was laid before the Tribunal of Arbitration at Geneva on behalf of the United States, asserted that England was the arsenal and treasury' of the Confederate States. The Board of Trade returns demonstrate that both belligerents drew upon Great Britain for the 'sinews of war,' but that the United States obtained them in far greater quantities and with incomparably less difficulty than their adversary. However, the statement was in itself true, although the VOL. II. 30 inference which it was the purpose of the Case' to suggest was not true. It is hardly an exaggeration-it certainly is not a mere 'figure of speech'-to say that Great Britain is the arsenal, treasury, and dockyard of the greater part of the world. There is scarcely a civilized country which is not a debtor to England, either for a direct loan, or for help to develop her resources by the construction of what are called 'internal improvements.' British guns and British powder do duty in every war. British-built ironclads form a part of nearly every foreign navy, and the commercial flags of many countries cover hulls of the well-known British type. No one whose faculties are not dwarfed by prejudice, or whose powers of observation are not contracted by national conceit, can or will deny that in the great mechanic arts, in building ships and manufacturing the heavy engines to propel them especially, Great Britain has outstripped all competitors. She actually owns about sixty per cent. of the world's shipping, and has supplied to others a portion of the remaining forty per cent. France, in regard to ships, at least, has been exceptionally independent, and both Germany and Italy are diligently extending their dockyard capacities; but I think a practical man who wanted a first-class ship and engines, or a large quantity of well-made arms for quick delivery, or a batch of great guns in which he could feel confidence, or any heavy iron or steel work, would almost instinctively come to England to supply his want; and if a foreign company wished money for some great engineering enterprise, they would be more likely to carry the scheme to London than to any other capital, and would look for the money in Lombard Street before going anywhere else. |