240 THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR 



commission to pass upon all claims arising on 

 either side out of the Civil War, provided, as he 

 explained with great care, that the claims con 

 cerned in the exploits of the cruisers should 

 be excluded. This proposition was declined 

 by Seward with no less directness than that 

 which Russell displayed in declining arbitra 

 tion. 



It was soon evident that the attitude as 

 sumed by Earl Russell failed to win the sup 

 port of important elements of British public 

 opinion. The maritime commercial interest per 

 ceived with ever-increasing vividness the peril 

 to English trade that was involved in any re 

 laxation of neutral duties. Party leaders were 

 embarrassed by the strained relations with the 

 United States. Respect for the American Re 

 public was general, and admiration even was 

 found in many circles where only contempt 

 had appeared before Appomattox. With a 

 realizing sense of the losses inflicted by the 

 Alabama, and the knowledge that orders to 

 detain her were actually issued by the govern 

 ment, many voices were heard in high quarters 

 declaring that there was ground for the com 

 plaints of the Americans, and that the best 

 British policy would be to reach a settlement 



