American civil war navy books

[Paulrjordan]

Just happenned upon a site which lists some rather interesting looking
book titles on the opposing Naval forces of the ACW. This is a very
fascinating period of "paddler" history and, as you know, I'm
particularly interested by the obvious bias that Britain showed
towards the South and which I never realized existed until I saw a
picture of the mysterious grey painted blockade runner, "Banshee" - (a
Clyde paddler if ever I saw one!)

On the site, here's a stat I found surprising which relates to "Guns
for Cotton. England Arms the Confederacy" by Thomas Boaz:

" Working closely with Confederate agents, businessmen in Britain
provided vast amounts of military goods which were transported on
British ships to ports in Bermuda and Nassau. Despite the
blockade, by the end of the war the South obtained some $200
million worth of arms and equipment."

Boy! I wonder if this would have been in "then dollars" or "now
dollars"?

And of course..the cottom eventually came East to Britain resulting in
some pretty substantial fortunes being made! What a hive of activity
and intrigue the ports of Nassau and Bermuda must have been during
this period!!

This listing of ACW Naval books can be found at:

http://www.bookguy.com/Catalog/Military/navy.htm

I have no idea if these are new or used copies. However, prior to
ordering any books from this source, I'd check out "used" sources.
For example they list "Lifeline of the Confederacy." (which Alistair
recommended) at US$19.95. Good used copies can be found quite easily
for as little as US$12.00 and right up to an outragious US$50.00, so
there's quite a range out there.

Another passing thought! Politically, I wonder on which side the Irish
sympathies lay? You'd think probably to Boston and the North with the
high level of emigrant population there. So did the Union Navy go
shopping for similar paddlers at the SAME shipyards as their enemy or
did they maybe go to the Irish Shipyards?

Please enlighten me, 'coz I'm just learning this stuff and I find the
East-West Atlantic connection during the ACW all rather intriguing!

Thanks

[woodburner]

Paul,

I think I showed some awful partisanship the last time I wrote about the cotton/British steamer connection, yet despite my entire, unrepentant and unwavering allegiance to the Glorious Bella Union, the confederate blockade runners were handsome and impressive craft. In many ways they resembled the "race built" English galleons that fought the Armada - swift, light and very hard to catch.

British support for confederate cotton was an obvious - and even prudent - economic decision, as the northern states had little to offer a nation already in the lead in terms of industrial development or coal supply. Given the choice between shutting down a major textile industry in support of an abstract, competitive ally or hedging bets with looms and arms factories running (not to mention Clyde shipyards), its only understandable that pounds and sterling guided foreign policy. Its also helpful to bear in mind that American foreign policy was a largely shaped by President Buchanan, whose southern sympathies were only matched by his overseas statesmanship.

In gathering notes for an article on the Collins steamer Atlantic, the competition between British and American shipping interests is both social and expressly financial, a mixture that breed national faith. The nature of the primary competitors, Collins and Cunard, is a contrast of huzzah and prudence.

By the way, on an unrelated topic, I found an original 1860s Currier & Ives litho of the Great Eastern I had stored away after a recent move. A slightly abstract image, to be sure, but with good color yet and showing five orangish funnels with black tops.

Jim

[freedem]

Hi Paul This is a general impression

the upper classes leaned toward the south while the working
classes were pro north in England.

One book has as its theam that the british be building the
confederate raiders set the americal merchent marine back so
that it did not overtake England till the 20th century. because
most american ships either were destroyed or transfered to
non american registry.

The North was so suficent that they did not even consider buying
warships over seas and have not heard of them buying civilian
ships in the british isles in the 1860s ( the great easter excepted
I belive was rented to lay the cable)

(I wonder if any country whos people migrate away really care
about the departed or lean toward one side of a conflict because
of ex-pat populations??? I've not thought or heard of this and
would like to hear any thoughts and knowlege anyone may
share)

come to think of it maybe you have something there I belive that
the upper classes when the came to america general gravatated
south while the working classes ended up in new england and
new york. I just finished a novel called " captian reble" by frank
yerby quite good and noral story about a blockade runner .

Further the Union Did not except in the early year even buy
cannon in europe

[Alistair Deayton]

Initially blockade runners were not built in the UK, but paddle steamerrs
operating in various regions, the Firth of Clyde, the Irish Sea, North Wales
(DENBIGH) were purchased.
New steamers that were built to replace these were also purchased after only
a few months in service. e.g. IONA (II).
Only around 1864 was there major building of new ships by such yards as
Jones Quiggin in Liverpool, with COLONEL LAMB, BANSHEE, etc, whuich were
revolutionary because they had stell hulls.
A lot of these were unfinished at the end of the Civil War, or made it
across the Atrlantic never to be used.

Alistair