teamers and ponderous rams the South was fairly well
supplied; but what was really needed were ocean-going ships, to break
the rigid blockade that was slowly starving the Confederacy into
submission,--swift cruisers to prey on the commerce of the enemy, and
powerful line-of-battle ships, which, by successfully coping with the
vessels of the United States on the high seas, should secure for the
Confederacy recognition, and possibly assistance, from the great
powers of Europe. But how to get these without shipyards,
shipbuilders, or seamen, was a task that baffled the ingenuity of the
best minds in the South. Immediately upon the organization of the
Confederate cabinet, an agent was sent to England to negotiate for
vessels and guns. But, though this agent was a man of wonderful
resources and great diplomacy, he found an almost insuperable obstacle
in the universally recognized law of nations, to the effect that no
neutral nation shall sell vessels or munitions of war to belligerents.
It is true that this agent, Capt. Bulloch, did succeed in securing
three ships,--the "Florida," the "Shenandoah," and the celebrated
"Alabama;" but to do so cost an immense amount of diplomacy and the
sacrificing of the strength of the vessels to the necessity which
existed for making them appear to be merchantmen. To build an
iron-clad in a foreign port, was out of the question; and consequently
ships so obtained were forced to fly from any well-equipped
war-vessel, and only venture to attack unarmed merchantmen.

[Illustration: The "French Lady."]

The United States vessels which were delivered into the hands of the
Confederates by their officers were mainly small revenue cutters, of
little use in naval warfare and soon given up or destroyed. Not a
single ship of this class made any record of distinguished service for
the Confederacy. Several merchant-vessels were captured by the
Confederates, who concocted the most ingenious plans to secure
success. One bright July morning the steamer "St. Nicholas" was lying
at her dock in Baltimore, with steam up, and all prepared for her
regular trip down the Chesapeake. Quite a large number of passengers
had bought tickets, and lounged about the decks, waiting for the
voyage to begin. Among the passengers were a number of mechanics, with
tools in their hands, going down the bay in search of work. Shortly
before the signal to cast off was given, a carriage was driven down
the wharf, and a lady, heavil