Evening journal., 1913-02-22
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
A Merchants Advice to the
British Prime
Minister
By HOLLAND.

BY Holland.
The late J. NJ Requa, who was a
member of prominent American
mercantile and shipping house at the
time of the Civil War, was accustom-
ed IN the later years of his life TO
tell his friends many interesting anec-
dotes that illustrated the destruction
of the commerce of the United States
by the Confederate privateers.
Mr.. Requa always spoke in words
of great admiration of the late John
NJ. Forbes Of Boston for he believed
that it was due largely to the efforts
Of Mr.. Forbes that the great naval
rams which we're constructed in Brit
ish navy yards we're prevented from
going to sea and breaking the block
ade Of the Southern ports.
Il am sorry to say" Mr.. Requa
would remark, that the services Of
John M Forbes to the United States
have never received proper recogni-
ton lie was a pioneer in the con-
struction of railroads In the West
His courage and perseverance, secur-
ed the necessary capital with which
what is now the Central Michigan
Railroad was 6uilt from Detroit TO
Chicago. and il was he who conceived
and began what is now the Burling-
ton Railroad system.
important as were Mr.. Forbes's
services to the American people in the
development Of railway systems which
opened up much of the West ! some
times think that they've not equal
80 hf
at the time OF the Civil War
"The Lairds had built, / think, two
very powerful steamers. so con-
structed that they would be able to
ram wooden vessel so emectually
as to cause II to sink. These rams
were to be used as part of the I'M
portant strategy worked out by the
leaders of the Confederacy. They
were so built as to make it newt
able that they would destroy the
wooden warships with which the
Federal Government was blockading
the Southern ports.
"Mr Forbes communicated with n
prominent shipping merchant OF Liy-
erpool with whom our own house had
frequent and very satisfactory deal
ings Mr. Forbes asked this LIVER
pool merchant, who had great per-
sonal and political influence. to call
upon Lord Palmerston and say to
him that If the British Government
permitted those rams TO depart from
the shipyards the United States would
inevitably be obliged to declare war
against Great Britain.
II remember almost the exact
words which Mr.. Forbes used in his
communication for they were after
ward repeated to me by my friend
Mr.. Forbes said: You may say to
Lord Palmerston that the United
States was upon the verge OF declar-
ing war upon Great Britain when the
British Government permitted the
privateer Alabama to put to sea and
TO begin the destruction of American
commerce. You may say, further
that il was thought best to wait and
see what Britain would do in respect
to the rams which are just completed
These rams. you can tell Lord Palm.
erston. would IN the course of few
months completely break the block
ado OF the Southern ports. II thai
blockade is broken the war hotwecr
the States may last ten years. It i.
vital 10 the success of the Union arms
that the blockade be maintained
MY friend. IN reply TO Mr.. Forbes
asked what he should say to Lord Pal
merston il the Prime Minister wante-
10 know what Great Britain would dc
with the rams In case the government
barred their departure.
"'You can tell him. Mr. Forbes re-
piled. that the best thing Great Bri-
tain can do is to buy the rams and
utilize them for its own navy
MY friend did have o long consul
tation with Lord Palmerston, anC
when he said. in reply to Palmer
ston's inquiry. What shall we do will
these arms II we retain themT Mr.
Forbes suggested he buy them. fol
they would make a valuable additicl
TO the British navy
"Palmerston's manner indicated
that he had been convinced OF the jus
tice of the American position. Within
a short time the British Government
forbade the departure Of these ram'
from the shipyard, and after awhil
the Government took the rams over
"But for this action of Mr.. Forbe
we should probably have been in
volved in a war with Great Britain
and Il is not improbable that tn
Confederacy would have been estab
lished.'