THE CONFEDERATE GOVERNMENT AT MONTGOMERY.
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necessity of providing gun-boats and shipping suitable for that purpose.In the winter of 1861 Mr. C. K. Prioleau, of the firm of John Fraser &Co., of Liverpool, found a fleet of ten first-class East Indiamen, availableto a buyer at less than half their cost. They belonged to the East IndiaCompany, and had been built in Great Britain for armament if required,or for moving troops and carrying valuable cargoes and treasure. Fourof them were vessels of great size and power and of the very first class;and there were six others, which, although smaller, were scarcely inferior forthe required purpose. On surrendering their powers to the British throne,the company had these steamships for sale. Mr. Prioleau secured the refusalof this fleet. The total cost of buying, arming, and fitting out the ten shipsand putting them on the Southern coast ready for action was estimated at$10,000,000, or, say, 40,000 bales of cotton. The harbor of Port Royal, selectedbefore the war as a coaling station for the United States Navy , with 26 feetof water at mean low tide, was admirably adapted for a rendezvous andpoint of supply. Brunswick, Georgia , was another good harbor, fit for such afleet. The proposal was submitted to the Government through a partnerof Mr. Prioleau in Charleston, Mr. George A. Trenholm , who forwarded theproposition by his son, William L. Trenholm. Its importance was not at all
comprehended, and it was rejectedby the executive. Captain J. D.Bulloch, the secret naval agent inEurope, who had the Alabama built,states that “ the Confederate Gov-ernment wanted ships to cruise andto destroy the enemy’s mercantilemarine.” It was of infinitely moreimportance to keep Southern portsopen, but this does not seem tohave been understood until too late.The opportunity of obtaining theseships was thrown away. They wereengaged by the British Govern-ment.
To show the narrow spirit of thosein office, an incident concerningCaptain Maffit, who figured after-ward in command of the Florida ,may be mentioned. In May, afterthe reduction of Fort Sumter, Maf-fit came from Washington to offerhis services, and when he met thewriter was in a state of indignation and disgust. He said that after havingbeen caressed and offered a command in the Pacific, he had sneaked awayfrom Washington to join the Confederacy, and that he had been received bythe Secretary of the Navy as if he (Maffit) had designs upon him.