First，weagaincalltomindtherelevantpassageinVictoria’sproclamationofneutralityofMay13，1861。Thepassagereads:
\"VictoriaR。\"
WhereasweareatpeacewiththeUnitedStates……wedoherebystrictlycharge……allourlovingsubjects……toabstainfromcontravening……ourRoyalProclamation……bybreaking……anyblockadelawfully……established……orbycarryingofficers……dispatches……oranyarticleorarticlesconsideredcontrabandofwar……Allpersonssooffendingwillbeliable……totheseveralpenaltiesandpenalconsequencesbythesaidStatuteorbythelawofnationsinthatbehalfimposed……
And……personswhomaymisconductthemselves……willdosoattheirperil……and……will……incurourhighdispleasurebysuchmisconduct。
ThisproclamationofQueenVictoria，therefore，inthefirstplacedeclareddispatchestobecontrabandandmaketheshipthatcarriessuchcontrabandliabletothe\"penaltiesofthelawofthenations\"。Whatarethesepenalties？
Wheaton，anAmericanwriteroninternationallawwhoseauthorityisrecognisedonbothsidesoftheAtlanticOceanalike，saysinhisElementsofInternationalLaw，p。565
\"Thefraudulentcarryingofdispatchesoftheenemywillalsosubjecttheneutralvesselinwhichtheyaretransportedtocaptureandconfiscation。Theconsequencesofsuchaserviceareindefinite，infinitelybeyondtheeffectofanycontrabandthatcanbeconveyed。’Thecarryingoftwoorthreecargoesofmilitarystores，’
saysSirW。Scott[thejudge]，’isnecessarilyanassistanceoflimitednature;butinthetransmissionofdispatchesmaybeconveyedtheentireplanofacampaign，thatmaydefeatalltheplansoftheotherbelligerent……
Theconfiscationofthenoxiousarticle，whichconstitutesthepenaltyforcontraband……wouldberidiculouswhenappliedtodispatches。Therewouldbenofreightdependentontheirtransportationandthereforethispenaltycouldnot，inthenatureofthings，beapplied。Thevehicle，inwhichtheyarecarried，must，therefore，beconfiscated……\"
Walker，inhisIntroductiontoAmericanLaw，says:
\"……neutralsmaynotbeconcernedinbearinghostiledispatches，underthepenaltyofconfiscationofthevehicle，andofthecargoalso。\"
Kent，whoisaccountedadecisiveauthorityinBritishcourts，statesinhisCommentaries:
\"If，onsearchofaship，itisfoundthatshecarriesenemydispatches，sheincursthepenaltyofcaptureandofconfiscationbyjudgmentofaprizecourt。\"
Dr。RobertPhillimore，AdvocateofHerMajestyinHerOfficeofAdmiralty，saysinhislatestworkoninternationallaw，p。370:
\"OfficialcommunicationsfromanofficialpersononthepublicaffairsofabelligerentGovernmentaresuchdispatchesasimpressanhostilecharacteruponthecarriersofthem。Themischievousconsequencesofsuchaservicecannotbeestimated，andextendfarbeyondtheeffectofanyContrabandthatcanbeconveyed，foritismanifestthatbythecarriageofsuchdispatchesthemostimportantoperationsofaBelligerentmaybeforwardedorobstructed……Thepenaltyisconfiscationoftheshipwhichconveysthedispatchesand……ofthecargo，ifbothbelongtothesamemaster。\"
Twopointsarethereforeestablished。QueenVictoria’sproclamationofMay13，1861，subjectsEnglishshipsthatcarrydispatchesoftheConfederacytothepenaltiesofinternationallaw。Internationallaw，accordingtoitsEnglishandAmericancommentators，imposesthepenaltyofcaptureandconfiscationonsuchships。
Palmerston’sorgansconsequentlyliedonordersfromabove——
andwewerenaiveenoughtobelievetheirlie——inaffirmingthatthecaptainoftheSanJacintohadneglectedtoseekfordispatchesontheTrentandthereforehadofcoursefoundnone;andthattheTrenthadconsequentlybecomeshotproofthroughthisoversight。
TheAmericanjournalsofNovember17to20，whichcouldnotyethavebeenawareoftheEnglishlie，unanimouslystate，onthecontrary，thatthedispatcheshadbeenseizedandwerealreadyinprintforsubmissiontoCongressinWashington。Thischangesthewholestateofaffairs。
Becauseofthesedispatches，theSanJacintohadtherighttotaketheTrentintowandeveryAmericanprizecourthadthedutytoconfiscateherandhercargo。WiththeTrent，herpassengersalsonaturallycamewithinthepaleofAmericanjurisdiction。
Messrs。Mason，SlidellandCo。，assoonastheTrenthadtouchedatMonroe，cameunderAmericanjurisdictionasrebels。If，therefore，insteadoftowingtheTrentherselftoanAmericanport，thecaptainoftheSanJacintocontentedhimselfwithseizingthedispatchesandtheirbearers，heinnowayworsenedthepositionofMason，SlidellandCo。，whilst，ontheotherhand，hiserrorinprocedurebenefitedtheTrent，hercargoandherpassengers。AnditwouldbeindeedunprecedentedifBritainwishedtodeclarewarontheUnitedStatesbecauseCaptainWilkescommittedanerrorinprocedureharmfultotheUnitedStates，butprofitabletoBritain。
ThequestionwhetherMason，SlidellandCo。，werethemselvescontraband，wasonlyraisedandcouldonlyberaisedbecausethePalmerstonjournalshadbroadcasttheliethatCaptainWilkeshadneithersearchedfordispatches，norseizeddispatches。ForinthiscaseMason，SlidellandCo。infactconstitutedthesoleobjectsontheshipTrentthatcouldpossiblyfallunderthecategoryofcontraband。Letus，however，disregardthisaspectforthemoment。QueenVictoria’sproclamationdesignates\"officers\"ofabelligerentpartyascontraband。Are\"officers\"merelymilitaryofficers？WereMason，SlidellandCo。\"officers\"oftheConfederacy？\"Officers，\"saysSamuelJohnsoninhisdictionaryoftheEnglishlanguage，are\"menemployedbythepublic\"，thatis，inGerman:ÖffentlicheBeamte。Walkergivesthesamedefinition。
（Seehisdictionary，1861edition。）
AccordingtotheusageoftheEnglishlanguage，therefore，Mason，SlidellandCo。，theseemissaries，idest，officialsoftheConfederacy，comeunderthecategoryof\"officers\"，whomtheroyalproclamationdeclarestobecontraband。ThecaptainoftheTrentknewtheminthiscapacityandthereforerenderedhimself，hisshipandhispassengersconfiscable。
If，accordingtoPhillimoreandallotherauthorities，ashipbecomesconfiscableasthecarrierofanenemydispatchbecauseitviolatesneutrality，inastillhigherdegreeisthistrueofthepersonwhocarriesthedispatches。AccordingtoWheaton，evenanenemyambassador，solongasheisintransitu，maybeintercepted。Ingeneral，however，thebasisofallinternationallawisthatanymemberofthebelligerentpartymayberegardedandtreatedas\"belligerent\"bytheopposingparty。
\"Solongasaman，\"saysVattel，\"continuestobeacitizenofhisowncountry，heisenemyofallthosewithwhomhisnationisatwar。\"
Onesees，therefore，thatthelawofficersoftheEnglishCrownreducedthepointofcontentiontoamereerrorinprocedure，notanerrorinre，butanerrorinforma，because，actually，nomaterialviolationoflawistohand。ThePalmerstonorganschatteraboutthemateriallegalquestionagainbecauseamereerrorinprocedure，intheinterestoftheTrentatthat，givesnoplausiblepretextforahaughty—tonedultimatum。
Meanwhile，importantvoiceshavebeenraisedinthissensefromdiametricallyoppositesides:ontheoneside，Messrs。BrightandCobden;
ontheother，DavidUrquhart。Thesemenareenemiesongroundsofprincipleandpersonally:thefirsttwo，peaceablecosmopolitans;thethird，the\"lastoftheEnglishmen\";theformeralwaysreadytosacrificeallinternationallawtointernationaltrade;theotherhesitatingnotamoment:\"FiatJustitia，pereatmundus\"，andby\"justice\"heunderstands\"English\"justice。ThevoicesofBrightandCobdenareimportant，becausetheyrepresentapowerfulsectionofmiddle—classinterestsandarerepresentedintheministrybyGladstone，MilnerGibsonandalso，moreorless，bySirCornewallLewis。ThevoiceofUrquhartisimportantbecauseinternationallawishislife—studyandeveryonerecogniseshimasanincorruptibleinterpreterofthisinternationallaw。
TheusualnewspapersourceswillcommunicateBright’sspeechinsupportoftheUnitedStatesandCobden’sletter，whichisconceivedinthesamesense。ThereforeIwillnotdwellonthem。
Urquhart’sorgan，TheFreePress，statesinitslatestissue，publishedonDecember4:
\"’WemustbombardNewYork！’SuchwerethefranticsoundswhichmettheearsofeveryonewhotraversedthestreetsofLondonontheeveningofthisdayweek，onthearrivaloftheintelligenceofatriflingwarlikeincident。TheactwasonewhichEnglandhascommittedasamatterofcourse[ineverywar]——namelytheseizureonboardofaneutralofthepersonsandpropertyofherenemies。\"
TheFreePressfurtherarguesthat，in1856attheCongressofParis，Palmerston，withoutanyauthorityfromtheCrownorParliamentsacrificedEnglishmaritimelawintheinterestofRussia，andthensays:
\"Inordertojustifythissacrifice，Palmerston’sorgansstatedatthattimethatifwemaintainedtherightofsearch，weshouldassuredlybeinvolvedinawarwiththeUnitedStatesontheoccasionofthefirstwarinEurope。AndnowhecallsonusthroughthesameorgansofpublicopiniontobombardNewYorkbecausetheUnitedStatesactonthoselawswhicharetheirsnolessthanourown。\"
Withregardtotheutterancesofthe\"organsofpublicopinion\"，TheFreePressremarks:
\"ThebrayofBaronMunchausen’sthawingposthornwasnothingtotheclangouroftheBritishpressonthecaptureofMessrs。MasonandSlidell。\"
Thenhumorously，itplacessidebyside，in\"strophe\"and\"antistrophe\"，thecontradictionsbywhichtheEnglishpressseekstoconvicttheUnitedStatesofa\"breachoflaw\"。
LessonsoftheAmericanWarFrederickEngelsLessonsoftheAmericanWarWhen，afewweeksback，wedrewattentiontotheprocessofweedingwhichhadbecomenecessaryintheAmericanvolunteerarmy，wewerefarfromexhaustingthevaluablelessonsthiswariscontinuallygivingtothevolunteersonthissideoftheAtlantic。Wethereforebegleaveagaintoreverttothesubject。
ThekindofwarfarewhichisnowcarriedoninAmericaisreallywithoutprecedent。FromtheMissouritoChesapeakeBay，amillionofmen，nearlyequallydividedintotwohostilecamps，havenowbeenfacingeachotherforsomesixmonthswithoutcomingtoasinglegeneralaction。InMissouri，thetwoarmiesadvance，retire，givebattle，advance，andretireagaininturns，withoutanyvisibleresult;evennow，aftersevenmonthsofmarchingandcounter—marching，whichmusthavelaidthecountrywastetoaconsiderabledegree，thingsappearasfarfromanydecisionasever。InKentucky，afteralengthenedperiodofapparentneutrality，butrealpreparation，asimilarstateofthingsappearstobeimpending;inWesternVirginia，constantminoractionsoccurwithoutanyapparentresult;andonthePotomac，wherethegreatestmassesonbothsidesareconcentrated，almostwithinsightofeachother，neitherpartycarestoattack，provingthat，asmattersstand，evenavictorywouldbeofnouseatall。Andunlesscircumstancesforeigntothisstateofthingscauseagreatchange，thisbarrensystemofwarfaremaybecontinuedformonthstocome。
Howarewetoaccountforthis？
TheAmericanshave，oneitherside，almostnothingbutvolunteers。ThelittlenucleusoftheformerUnitedStates’regulararmyhaseitherdissolved，oritistooweaktoleaventheenormousmassofrawrecruitswhichhaveaccumulatedattheseatofwar。Toshapeallthesemenintosoldiers，therearenotevendrill—sergeantsenough。Teaching，consequently，mustgoonveryslow，andthereisreallynotellinghowlongitmaytakeuntilthefinematerialofmencollectedonbothshoresofthePotomacwillbefittobemovedaboutinlargemasses，andtogiveoracceptbattlewithitscombinedforces。
Butevenifthemencouldbetaughttheirdrillinsomereasonabletime，therearenotenoughofficerstoleadthem。Nottospeakofthecompanyofficers——whonecessarilycannotbetakenfromamongcivilians——therearenotenoughofficerstomakecommandersofbattalionsevenifeverylieutenantandensignoftheregularswereappointedtosuchapost。A
considerablenumberofciviliancolonelsarethereforeunavoidable;andnobodywhoknowsourownvolunteerswillthinkeitherMcClellanorBeauregardovertimidiftheydeclineenteringuponaggressiveactionorcomplicatedstrategicalmanoeuvreswithciviliancolonelsofsixmonths’standingtoexecutetheirorders。
Wewillsuppose，however，thatthisdifficultywas，uponthewhole，overcome;thattheciviliancolonels，withtheiruniforms，hadalsoacquiredtheknowledge，experience，andtactrequiredintheperformanceoftheirduties——atleast，asfarastheinfantryisconcerned。Buthowwillitbeforthecavalry？Totrainaregimentofcavalry，requiresmoretime，andmoreexperienceinthetrainingofficers，thantogetaregimentofinfantryintoshape。Supposethemenjointheircorps，allofthem，withasufficientknowledgeofhorsemanship——thatistosay，theycanstickontheirhorses，havecommandoverthem，andknowhowtogroomandfeedthem——thiswillscarcelyshortenthetimerequiredfortraining。Militaryriding，thatcontroloveryourhorsebywhichyoumakehimgothroughallthemovementsnecessaryincavalryevolutions，isaverydifferentthingfromtheridingcommonlypractisedbycivilians。Napoleon’scavalry，whichSirWilliamNapier（HistoryofthePeninsularWar）consideredalmostbetterthantheEnglishcavalryofthetime，notoriouslyconsistedoftheveryworstridersthatevergracedasaddle;andmanyofourbestcross—countryridersfound，onenteringmountedvolunteercorps，thattheyhadadealtolearnyet。Weneednotbeastonished，then，tofindthattheAmericansareverydeficientincavalry，andthatwhatlittletheyhaveconsistsofakindofCossacksorIndianirregulars（rangers），unfitforachargeinabody。
Forartillery，theymustbeworseoffstill;andequallysoforengineers。
Boththesearehighlyscientificarms，andrequirealongandcarefultraininginbothofficersandnon—commissionedofficers，andcertainlymoretraininginthementoo，thaninfantrydoes。Artillery，moreover，isamorecomplicatedarmthanevencavalry;yourequireguns，horsesbrokeninforthiskindofdriving，andtwoclassesoftrainedmen——gunnersanddrivers;yourequire，besides，numerousammunition—waggons，andlargelaboratoriesfortheammunition，forges，workshops，&c。;thewholeprovidedwithcomplicatedmachinery。TheFederalsarestatedtohave，altogether，600gunsinthefield;buthowthesemaybeserved，wecaneasilyimagine，knowingthatitisutterlyimpossibletoturnout100complete，well—appointed，andwell—servedbatteriesoutofnothinginsixmonths。
Butsuppose，again，thatallthesedifficultieshadbeenovercome，andthatthefightingportionofthetwohostilesectionsofAmericanswasinfairconditionfortheirwork，couldtheymoveeventhen？Certainlynot。Anarmymustbefed;andalargearmyinacomparativelythinly—populatedcountrysuchasVirginia，Kentucky，andMissouri，mustbechieflyfedfrommagazines。Itssupplyofammunitionhastobereplenished;itmustbefollowedbygunsmiths，saddlers，joiners，andotherartisans，tokeepitsfightingtackleingoodorder。AlltheserequisitesshonebytheirabsenceinAmerica;
theyhadtobeorganisedoutofalmostnothing;andwehavenoevidencewhatevertoshowthatevennowthecommissariatandtransportofeitherarmyhasemergedfrombabyhood。
America，bothNorthandSouth，FederalandConfederate，hadnomilitaryorganisation，sotospeak。Thearmyofthelinewastotallyinadequate，byitsnumbers，forserviceagainstanyrespectableenemy;themilitiawasalmostnon—existent。TheformerwarsoftheUnionneverputthemilitarystrengthofthecountryonitsmettle;England，between1812and1814，hadnotmanymentospare，andMexicodefendedherselfchieflybythemerestrabble。Thefactis，fromhergeographicalposition，Americahadnoenemieswhocouldanywhereattackherwithmorethan30，000or40，000regularsattheveryworst;andtosuchnumberstheimmenseextentofthecountrywouldsoonproveamoreformidableobstaclethananytroopsAmericacouldbringagainstthem;whileherarmywassufficienttoformanucleusforsome100，000volunteers，andtotraintheminreasonabletime。Butwhenacivilwarcalledforthmorethanamillionoffightingmen，thewholesystembrokedown，andeverythinghadtobebegunatthebeginning。Theresultsarebeforeus。Twoimmense，unwieldybodiesofmen，eachafraidoftheother，andalmostasafraidofvictoryasofdefeat，arefacingeachother，trying，atanimmensecost，tosettledownintosomethinglikearegularorganisation。Thewasteofmoney，frightfulasitis，isquiteunavoidable，fromthetotalabsenceofthatorganisedgroundworkuponwhichthestructurecouldhavebeenbuilt。Withignoranceandinexperiencerulingsupremeineverydepartment，howcoulditbeotherwise？Ontheotherhand，thereturnfortheoutlay，inefficiencyandorganisation，isextremelypoor;andcouldthatbeotherwise？
TheBritishvolunteersmaythanktheirstarsthattheyfound，onstarting，anumerous，well—disciplined，andexperiencedarmytotakethemunderitswings。Allowingfortheprejudicesinherenttoalltrades，thatarmyhasreceivedandtreatedthemwell。Itistobehopedthatneitherthevolunteersnorthepublicwilleverthinkthatthenewservicecaneversupersede，inanydegree，theoldone。Ifthereareanysuch，aglanceatthestateofthetwoAmericanvolunteerarmiesoughttoprovetothemtheirownignoranceandfolly。Noarmynewlyformedoutofcivilianscaneversubsistinanefficientstateunlessitistrainedandsupportedbytheimmenseintellectualandmaterialresourceswhicharedepositedatthehandsofaproportionatelystrongregulararmy，andprincipallybythatorganisationwhichformsthechiefstrengthoftheregulars。SupposeaninvasiontothreatenEngland，andcomparewhatwouldbethendonewithwhatisunavoidablydoneinAmerica。