The Blockade Runners E-Book

Jules Verne.

• Herausgeber: Luath Press
• Kategorie: Abenteuer, Thriller, Horror
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2014

Beschreibung

Jules Verne is the author of many classic, world-famous novels such as "Around the World in 80 Days" and "Journey to the Centre of the Earth". In this brand-new translation of "The Blockade Runners", Verne moves seamlessly between Scotland and the southern states of the US during the American Civil War. With the southern harbours effectively sealed by the North, Scottish industrialist James Playfair must run a daring Federalist blockade of a Charleston harbour in an effort to trade supplies for cotton and to rescue a young girl's father, held prisoner by the Confederates. As the blockade grows tighter, will Playfair risk all to save the man, or will he head back to Scotland in safety with his hold full of precious cotton? "The Blockade Runners" is a translation of "Les Forceurs de Blocus" (1871). As a novella, it was originally included along with "A Floating City" in the first English and French editions. BACK COVER Blockade runners in the American Civil War risked the Unionist blockade to trade in the Confederate ports. The potential profit for those who evaded the blockade was a great temptation for some merchants, regardless of their political views. In The Blockade Runners, a Scottish merchant James Playfair hatches a scheme to sail across the Atlantic during the American Civil War sea blockade smuggling weapons to the Confederates in exchange for cotton. His mission is put at risk when Jenny, the daughter of an abolitionist, is discovered on board. Will he risk everything to save her father, a prisoner of the Confederates? Torn between his desire for a successful mission and his growing love for Jenny, James must choose his allegiances carefully.

Leseprobe

JULES VERNE(1828–1905)was born in Nantes, France. He wrote over 60 novels, and is famous for his fascination with science and travel. He is the author of such well-known classics asJourney to the Centre of the Earth,Around the World in 80 DaysandTwenty Thousand Leagues under the Sea.In1859Verne travelled to Scotland, a journey that inspiredThe Underground City(Les Indes noires), a new translation of which was published by Luath Press in 2005. In 1879 Verne returned to Scotland, visiting Glasgow and travelling to Oban, from where he went on a day cruise round Mull, Iona and Staffa. His diary relates the details of his journey, which clearly led him to writeLe Rayon vert. Luath Press published a new translation of this novel asThe Green Rayin 2009.The Blockade Runnerswas also inspired by Verne’s experiences in Glasgow, as he visited most of the sites which feature in the story.

The front cover image shows theUSSMalvern. Built as a commercial steamship namedWilliam G Hughesin 1860, it was seized by the Confederate forces and put into service as a blockade runner, renamedElla and Annie.

However, the boat was then captured by the Union Navy, who converted it into a warship called theUSSMalvern. Present at a number of key events in the Civil War, the final significant task theMalvernundertook was transporting President Abraham Lincoln to Richmond, Virginia (the former Confederate capital) in 1865, as the war was coming to a close.

Following decommission in 1865, the boat ended back with the original owners, and was once again calledWilliam G Hughes. The boat was finally wrecked off the coast of Cuba in 1895.

Inside illustrations are reproductions of the original drawings by J Férat from the first octavo edition ofLes Forceurs de blocus, Paris, 1872. Reproduced courtesy of Professor Ian Thompson.

The Blockade Runners

A new translation of the unabridgedtext with illustrations

JULES VERNE

translated by Karen Loukeswith an introduction and essay by Professor Ian Thompson

LuathPress Limited

EDINBURGH

www.luath.co.uk

First publishedasLes Forceurs de blocus, Paris 1865

First published in English, London 1874

This translation first published 2011

eBook 2014

ISBN: 978-1-905222-20-9

ISBN (eBook): 978-1-909912-80-9

The publisher acknowledges subsidy from Creative Scotland towards the publication of this book.

© Luath Press Ltd 2011

Contents

Background to The Blockade Runners

The Dolphin

Getting Underway

At Sea

Crockston’s Trick

Cannonballs from The Iroquois and Miss Jenny’s Arguments

The Sullivan’s Island Channel

A Southern General

The Escape

In the Crossfire

Saint Mungo

The Geographical and Historical Context of The Blockade Runners by Professor Ian Thompson

Conclusion

Further Reading

End Notes

Background toThe Blockade Runners

WHEN THE AMERICAN CIVIL WARbroke out in April 1861, Jules Verne was 33 years old and his literary career was on the point of taking off. Although at this time he had not yet acquired his own boat, his passion for sailing was already deeply instilled in his creative psyche.

Born and raised in the seaport of Nantes with its connections to the slave trade, Verne was well aware of both transatlantic seafaring and the issues that led up to the Civil War. Moreover, Nantes was a centre of shipbuilding and Verne was fascinated by developments in the technology of marine engineering. This was crystallised in his 1859 journey to Britain, which involved visits to Liverpool and Glasgow, both cities later involved in the provision of blockade runners on behalf of the Confederate States. He was thus ideally qualified to create a novella based on the war, though it must be admitted that issues of marine technology and seamanship, together with a fast moving and romantic plot, predominate to a greater extent than the profound moral issues involved in the war.

Professor Ian Thompson

1

The Dolphin

THE CLYDE WAS THEFirst river to have its waters turn to foam under the paddlewheels of a steamer. That was in 1812. The boat was calledThe Cometand provided a regular service between Glasgow and Greenock, travelling at a speed of six nautical miles an hour. Since that time, more than a million steamers or packet boats have travelled up or down the Scottish river, and the inhabitants of the large commercial city must be extremely used to the wonders of steam travel.

Nevertheless, on 3 December 1862, an enormous crowd, made up of ship owners, merchants, factory owners, workers, sailors, women and children, thronged the muddy streets of Glasgow, making for Kelvin Dock, a huge shipbuilding establishment belonging to Messrs Tod and MacGregor. This latter name provides more than ample proof that the famous descendants of the Highlanders have become industrialists and that they have turned all the vassals of the old clans into factory workers.

Kelvin Dock1is situated several minutes from the city on the right-hand bank of the Clyde. Its immense yards were soon overrun by inquisitive onlookers; there was no section of quay, no wharf wall, no shop roof that had a vacant space to offer. The river itself was criss-crossed with boats and the heights of Govan on the left-hand bank swarmed with spectators.

The cause of this excitement was not, however, an extraordinary ceremony, but quite simply the launching of a ship. The people of Glasgow could not help but be extremely indifferent about such an operation. So wasThe Dolphin– for such was the name of the vessel constructed by Messrs Tod and MacGregor – in some way special? To be honest, no. She was a large, 1,500-tonne ship made of sheet steel; everything about her had been planned to obtain great speed. Her high-pressure engine came from the workshops of Lancefield Forge and possessed 500 horsepower. It moved twin screws, situated on either side of the stern-post in the narrow stern and completely independent of one another – an entirely new application of the system invented by Messrs Dudgeon of Millwall, which lends ships great speed and enables them to move in an extremely tight circle. As forThe Dolphin’s draught, it could hardly be very considerable. The experts were not mistaken when they concluded that this ship was destined to frequent channels of a medium depth. But none of these characteristics justified the public’s excitement in any way. In short,The Dolphinpossessed no more and no less than any other ship. So perhaps its launch presented some mechanical difficulty that had to be overcome? No. The waters of the Clyde had already welcomed many vessels of a more considerable tonnage, and the launching ofThe Dolphinwas to be carried out in the most ordinary of ways.

In fact, when the sea was slack and the ebb tide was setting in, operations commenced. Mallet blows rang out in perfect unison, striking the wedges intended to lift the keel of the ship. A shudder soon ran through the whole of her massive structure; although she had been raised only slightly, her shaking could be felt. She began to slide, then to speed up, and, in a few moments,The Dolphinleft its carefully tallowed slipway and plunged into the Clyde in the midst of thick curls of white steam. Her stern bumped against the muddy riverbed, then she rose on the back of a giant wave, and the magnificent steamer, swept along by her momentum, would have been smashed against the quays of the Govan yards had not all her anchors checked her course, making a formidable noise as they dropped.

Her launch had been a perfect success.The Dolphinrocked gently on the waters of the Clyde. All of the spectators clapped their hands when she entered her natural element, and huge cheers arose on both banks.

But why these shouts and this applause? The most passionate of the spectators would doubtless have been at a loss to explain their enthusiasm. So what was behind the very particular interest excited by this ship? Quite simply the mystery surrounding her destination. Nobody knew what type of commerce she was to be used for, and the variety of opinions expressed by the various groups of onlookers on this serious subject was truly astonishing.

However, the best informed, or those who claimed to be such, agreed that this steamer was to play a role in the terrible war that was then decimating the United States of America. But they knew no more, and nobody could say whetherThe Dolphinwas a privateer, a transport ship, a Confederate boat or a Federal navy vessel.

‘Hurrah!’ cried one, maintaining thatThe Dolphinhad been built for the use of the Southern States.

‘Hip hip hurray!’ shouted another, vowing that never would a quicker vessel have cruised along the American coast.

Her purpose was thus unknown, and you would have had to be the partner or at least the intimate friend of Vincent Playfair and Co. of Glasgow to know exactly what it was all about.

The firm that went by the name of Vincent Playfair and Co. was rich, powerful and clever. The old and highly regarded family was descended from the tobacco lords who had built the most beautiful areas of the city. Following the Act of Union, these skilful merchants had founded Glasgow’s first trading posts through the trafficking of tobacco from Virginia and Maryland. Immense fortunes were made and a new trading centre was created. Industry and manufacturing quickly established themselves; spinning mills and foundries sprang up on all sides and the city reached the height of its prosperity in several years.

The Playfair firm remained true to the enterprising spirit of its ancestors. The company entered into the most audacious of operations and upheld the honour of Scottish2commerce. Its current head Vincent Playfair, a man of 50 with an essentially practical and positive, though daring, nature, was a thoroughbred ship owner. Nothing affected him outside commercial matters, not even the political side of transactions. Yet he was perfectly honest and loyal.

He could not, however, claim responsibility for the idea of constructing and fitting outThe Dolphin. This belonged exclusively to his nephew James Playfair, a handsome young man of 30 and the boldest skipper in the United Kingdom’s merchant navy.

It was in the Tontine Coffee Room beneath the arches of the town hall that James Playfair, after reading the American newspapers with fury, had one day informed his uncle of a very risky venture.

‘Uncle Vincent,’ he said abruptly, ‘we could earn two million in less than one month!’

‘What’s at stake?’ asked Uncle Vincent.

‘A ship and her cargo.’

‘Nothing else?’

‘Yes, the lives of the crew and the captain, but that doesn’t count.’

‘Let’s see,’ replied Uncle Vincent.

‘You have seen,’ resumed James Playfair. ‘You’ve read theTribune, theNew York Herald,The Times, theRichmond EnquirerandThe American Review?’

‘Scores of times, nephew.’

‘Like me, you think that the war in the United States will last for a long time yet?’

‘A very long time.’

‘You know how much impact this fight is having on Scotland’s interests, especially those of Glasgow?’

‘And more specifically those of Playfair and Co.,’ replied Uncle Vincent.

‘Particularly those,’ responded the young captain.

‘I grieve about it every day, James, and I cannot but envisage with dread the commercial disasters that this war may bring about. Not that the firm of Playfair isn’t solid, but it has contacts that may fail. Ah, those Americans! Be they proslavery or abolitionists, I commend them all to the devil!’

Though humanity’s lofty principles, superior to personal interests at all times and in all places, may suggest that Vincent Playfair was wrong to speak like this, he was right only to consider a purely commercial point of view. The most important American export was in short supply on the Glasgow market. The cotton famine, to use the powerful English expression, was becoming more ominous day by day. Thousands of workers were finding themselves reduced to living off public charity. Glasgow has twenty-five thousand power looms which, before the war in the United States, produced six hundred and twenty-five thousand metres of spun cotton per day, or in other words fifty million pounds per year. The disruption caused to the city’s industrial activity when the textile material failed to arrive almost in its entirety can be judged by these figures. Companies collapsed by the hour. Work was suspended in all factories. The workers were dying of hunger.

It was the sight of this extreme poverty that had given James Playfair the idea for his daring venture.

‘I will go looking for cotton,’ he said, ‘and I will bring some back no matter what.’

But as he was as much a man of business as Uncle Vincent, he had resolved to proceed via trade and to propose the operation as a commercial affair.

‘Uncle Vincent,’ he said, ‘here’s my idea.’

‘Tell me, James.’

‘It’s very simple. We will construct a ship of great speed and huge capacity.’

‘That is possible.’

‘We will load it with munitions of war, provisions and clothing.’

‘That may well be.’

‘I will take command of this steamer. I will challenge all of the ships of the Federal navy. I will run the blockade of one of the Southern ports.’

‘You will sell the cargo to the Confederates who need it at a high price,’ said his uncle.

‘And I will return with a load of cotton…’

‘That they will give to you for nothing.’

‘Precisely, Uncle Vincent. How does that sound?’

‘Good. But will you get through?’

‘I will if I have a good ship.’

‘We will make you one specially. But what about the crew?’

‘Oh, I will find one. I don’t need many men. Enough to manoeuvre, that’s all. It isn’t a question of fighting the Federals, but of outstripping them.’

‘You will outstrip them,’ replied Uncle Vincent in a peremptory manner. ‘Now tell me, James, which part of the American coast are you planning to make for?’

‘Several ships have already run the blockades of New Orleans, Willmington and Savannah, uncle. I am thinking of entering directly at Charleston. No British vessel has yet been able to penetrate these channels exceptThe Bermuda. I will do as she did, and if my ship draws little water I will go where the Federal vessels are unable to follow me.’

‘The fact is,’ said Uncle Vincent, ‘that Charleston abounds in cotton. They burn it to be rid of it.’

‘Yes,’ replied James. ‘What’s more, the city is almost surrounded. Beauregard is short of munitions; he will pay me a fortune for my cargo.’

‘Indeed, nephew! And when do you want to leave?’

‘In six months. I will need long winter nights to make it through more easily.’

‘We will manage it, nephew.’

‘So that’s settled, uncle.’

‘That’s settled.’

‘Not a word?’

‘Not a word!’

And that is how, five months later, the steamerThe Dolphinwas launched from the Kelvin Dock shipyards and why nobody knew its real destination.