By Huw Carnaby Wright
Interview with Charles Francis Adams
 |
| Mr Adams |
I was honoured to be granted an
interview with Mr. Charles Francis Adams Sr at The American legation in Great Cumberland
Place, London. Mr. Adams
resigned from the House of Representatives in 1861, where he had chaired the Committee on Manufactures, in order to become U.S. minister to the Court of St James's, a post previously held by his
father, President
John Quincy Adams and grandfather President
John Adams.
It has been opportune for the United States to have such a man, with the
ear of the British Government, during these War years.
What
of the Steam Ship Herald Case:
“Well”, smiled Mr. Adams, “One has to take the claims of
sinking of the Herald by the USS Quaker City with a large pinch of sea salt.”
He continued, “The
claims have been made by the Liverpool office of Fraser, Trenholm & Company,
which is based in Charleston and whose senior partner, George A. Trenholm,
is widely tipped to became the next Secretary to the Confederate States
Treasury!”
Traders and Raiders
“The Company’s
British office in 10, Rumfold Place, Liverpool, has made an enormous
contribution to the war effort of the South, acting as banker to the
Confederate Government and financing the supply of armaments in return for
cotton. Fraser, Trenholm & Co. also openly participates in blockade
running, organising the building on the Tyne and Mersey of ships such as the
commerce-destroyer, Alabama, assisted in the floating of Confederate loans, and
generally encouraged support in Europe for the South.
 |
| Charles Kuhn Prioleau |
The firm’s senior partner, Charles Kuhn Prioleau, is a
naturalised Englishman, but who was been brought up in Charleston, South
Carolina, where most of his family still live.
In a shamelessly two-faced approach to business, they
claim to be legitimate merchants running the blockade to deliver materials to the CSA, whilst
in parallel, they finance, fit out and crew Commerce Raiders for the CSA to
prey upon Union ships. The Commerce Raiders have and do sink unarmed
merchantmen flying the US flag as a matter of course.”
Scenario of Convenience:
“Consider this”, posed Mr. Adams, “A
ship, owned by the CSA company Fraser, Trenholm & Company ship,
flying under the British flag and packed with a valuable cargo, supposedly disappears
without trace in the Caribbean. Conveniently, there are only two witnesses,
both employees of Fraser, Trenholm & Company.
The witnesses claim of piracy are backed up by the hearsay of the captain and
crew abroad the ‘completely neutral’ confederate blockade runner CSS
Florida. Incidentally, the CSS Florida was built by the British
firm William C. Miller
& Sons of Toxteth,
Liverpool,
purchased by the Confederacy from Fawcett, Preston
& Co., also of Liverpool with finance raised by a firm called Fraser,
Trenholm & Company.”
 |
| CSS Florida |
Mr.
Adams continued, “I understand that Lloyd’s of London are investigating the case
having received a large claim for the lost ship and cargo. We have our own spies
watching the activities of Fraser, Trenholm & Company, as do certain
British Government departments. There is no wish on behalf of Great Britain to
be dragged into a war with the United States by the double dealing of third
parties with their own agenda”
