By Huw Carnaby Wright
Traditionally,
Great Britain has used the power of the Royal Navy to apply tight blockade on
her enemy’s ports, with the aim of crippling their economies by denying them
access to raw materials and access to markets for their goods. The United
States has a history of championing the rights of the Neutral States in any
such conflict and has often challenged the right exercised by Great Britain to
stop and examine the cargoes of neutral shipping.
These
conflicts of interest were a factor in the causes of the War of 1812-14.
Ironically,
today it is the United States that is attempting to apply a tight blockade of
the so-called Confederate States and Great Britain that finds itself as the
leader and champion of the Neutrals.
One
might expect that Great Britain would seek to get revenge for previous
challenges during the Napoleonic and Crimean War and look for opportunities to
make life uncomfortable for the United States over her blockade policy.
Great
Britain takes the Long View:
With
the help of Mr. Charles
Francis Adams Sr, I
was recently granted an interview with Edward Adolphus Seymour, 12th
Duke of Somerset and First Sea Lord of the Admiralty, at Brooks’s Club in
St.James Street.
I
asked His Grace why Great Britain had not created more fuss over the effects of
the United States stopping and delaying ships to check for blockade runners.
“When
you have been around as long as us”, he replied, “one learns to take a ‘long
term view’.
The United States may well be applying a blockade today, but in
view of our world-wide interests and possessions, combined with the strength of
the Royal Navy, it is very likely that Great Britain will see the need to do so
again tomorrow. We note with great interest the actions taken by the United
States.
As usually the ‘loudest’ voice amongst neutral States whenever Great
Britain seeks to impose a blockade in time of war, any precedents set by US
Navy by their actions in this conflict will be difficult to challenge should we
determine to utilise them ourselves in the future.”
Maybe
this is why the French refer to Great Britain as "Perfidious
Albion."
