USS ALASKA
Captain
- Joined
- Mar 16, 2016
www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/2001/fall/confederate-fleet-1.html
Having read some of the source material listed in the notes, I would like to say this is a good, concise, wrap-up of the topic.
I think the conclusion is a fair assessment – poor diplomacy, uncoordinated efforts, self-serving and at times conflicting objectives and attitudes of states and individuals – I’m surprised that the South accomplished as much as it did in this arena. I believe what it comes down to is “Money Talks”. In the ‘Arms of Krupp’ by William Manchester, he writes about the ways of ‘diplomacy’ and under-the-table dealing in the arms trade in Europe in the late 1800s. He quotes someone (I believe it was the famous Vickers salesman – can’t remember his name right now) as saying that even the largest print cannot be read through a gold sovereign. He also anecdotally wrote about a buyer who was complaining about all the bribes and kickbacks he had to pay, that he could never get his cruiser built. The response was “…as long as you get paid and I get paid, what does it matter?”
If I’m completely off here, please fire away. Would like to learn more.
Cheers,
USS ALASKA
Having read some of the source material listed in the notes, I would like to say this is a good, concise, wrap-up of the topic.
I think the conclusion is a fair assessment – poor diplomacy, uncoordinated efforts, self-serving and at times conflicting objectives and attitudes of states and individuals – I’m surprised that the South accomplished as much as it did in this arena. I believe what it comes down to is “Money Talks”. In the ‘Arms of Krupp’ by William Manchester, he writes about the ways of ‘diplomacy’ and under-the-table dealing in the arms trade in Europe in the late 1800s. He quotes someone (I believe it was the famous Vickers salesman – can’t remember his name right now) as saying that even the largest print cannot be read through a gold sovereign. He also anecdotally wrote about a buyer who was complaining about all the bribes and kickbacks he had to pay, that he could never get his cruiser built. The response was “…as long as you get paid and I get paid, what does it matter?”
If I’m completely off here, please fire away. Would like to learn more.
Cheers,
USS ALASKA