| The
Alabama - an introduction |
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Overview
Dave Robert's (shipping historian) gives an overview to the
CSS Alabama, Liverpool's Confederate connections and some facts
you'd never hear anywhere else! |
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RealPlayer
is required: |
| Why
was it built? |
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The
ship was built to aid the Confederates in the Civil War. Britain
as a neutral country was not permitted to supply warring factions
with ships fitted for war purposes, therefore vessel 290 was
taken to the Azores, where it was fitted out as a Confederate
raider.
In
the first month of her service, the Alabama took 10
vessels at a total value of 437,000 dollars.
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| What
is its connection to Liverpool? |
| The
Alabama was built at Cammell
Lairds ship yard and steamed up and down the Mersey
with local dignitaries on its maiden voyage. After the vessel's
sinking in 1864, its crew were rescued by the captain of another
Laird's ship, the Deerhound. |
| Why
is it so infamous? |
| The
building of a raider ship on the shores of the Mersey, her escape
and the havoc she wrecked on American ships, caused indescribable
bitterness and remained a running sore in Anglo-American relations.
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