THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR 237 



ship captains, moreover, for directions as to 

 their rights and duties in the circumstances, 

 made the government s prompt action necessary. 

 As to later questions, Lord Russell stoutly con 

 tended that his government had enforced with 

 fairness and impartiality the neutrality which 

 was proclaimed. The Foreign Enlistment Act 

 authorized the seizure of a ship that was proved 

 to be armed and equipped, wholly or in part, 

 in British jurisdiction, for the purpose of naval 

 service for a power at war with a power friendly 

 to her Majesty. The proof required by the act 

 as preliminary to seizure was very difficult to 

 obtain. Of nineteen vessels complained of by 

 Mr. Adams, however, only five actually hoisted 

 the Confederate ensign, and of these one never 

 got into actual service, and another was seized 

 but released after trial, for lack of sufficient 

 evidence as to her warlike character. Under 

 such circumstances, Lord Russell argued, it 

 was idle to accuse the government of ineffi 

 ciency in the performance of its duties under 

 the law. 



As to the ships that escaped the vigilance of 

 the authorities, his Lordship held the methods 

 employed by the Confederate agents to have 

 been so skilfully adapted to their purpose that 



