best captian sbuild alabama world of warships

Consul Dudley and Minister Adams had failed, but they had learned valuable lessons.ĭuring the American Civil War, 1861–1865, the Confederate States of America created a modern naval force within a few years. merchant vessels than any other warship before or since. She was armed and commissioned CSS Alabama. Shortly afterward, two supply ships met her in the Azores. 290, for the moment named Enrica, had sailed the day before.

The order to seize the ship was given-just too late. 1 By July 29 sufficient evidence had been presented for the law officers of the Crown to opine that 'the vessel, cargo, and stores, may be properly condemned.' 2

suspicions were presented in a logical, precisely legal form. Informants were persuaded to give notarized depositions. They explained the requirements of British domestic law so that the evidence could be presented in acceptable forms. Consul Dudley consulted British attorneys and opened direct communication with the collector of customs in the Port of Liverpool and other officials. British government officers could not act because the evidence was not in the proper form and depended upon anonymous informants. The British government was on the case.ĭudley provided more information on July 5, including a full description of the ship's appearance along with the news that the construction was being overseen by Capt. Russell started the ponderous wheels of government toward resolving the question of the destination and legality of No. Adams, recognizing the urgency, pressed British Foreign Office Secretary Earl Russell to stop the ship. Then Dudley traveled to London to confer personally with Charles Francis Adams, U.S. A month later he reported the trial trip and the expected imminent departure of No.

On May 16, 1862, he reported the launch of the ship to Washington. Not knowing her name, Dudley referred to her by the hull number at the shipyard, No. He had spent months gathering information about a second suspicious vessel, reported to be a warship destined for the Confederates. He had failed to stop one Confederate raider, CSS Florida, from departing Liverpool. consul in Liverpool, had grown desperate. The Diplomats Who Sank a Fleet The Confederacy's Undelivered European Fleet and the Union Consular Serviceįall 2001, Vol.

Best captian sbuild alabama world of warships