GDG- Re: Defeat of AoP, Recognition by Britain

[jack]

 .
 > It also reflected British adaptability, since they changed from cotton to 
the manufacture of other fabrics.  They also turned to Egypt to supply
> cotton to help keep that industry going as much as possible.

> The French seemed a lot more anxious to recognize the South than the 
> British
> were.  The French motivation seemed to be gaining an inroad into Mexico.
 ***********************************************************************************************************************A few points.1) When the war broke out, there was a world wide glut of cotton. It wasn'tthe British that adapted, it was the market adapting by creating newsources.The South's misfortune was that other suply sources, adapting to a demand,emerged. Britain, France and Russia had bo need to intervene.2) As with Harrisburg, I don't thinkincoln cared a whit as to whether or notBritain recognized the Confederacy. It wasn't French recognition of theUnited Colonies thatturned the tide in the revolution, it was intervention. Intervention isdifferent than recognition. Recognition in Britain would have required theacquiesence of the British body politic.Intervention (ala saigon late '50's) would have required a military actinvolving a very small force initially. there was a demand within thegovernment in Britain for intervention.3) The take on the war in Europe was primarily that it was primarily aneconomic struggle (South Carolina had tried to secede in the 1820's overtariff rights; it is because they were acting alone that they failed).It was natural for Europeans to think this was same o same o. most did notcare abouut slavery. 4) French were intervening by entering Mexico;  Te British itervened byallowing Confederate warships to be buiilt in Britain. Therev werre otheracts.5) It was a near run thing. A really near run thing.there are other points, but these vare the key points, IMHO.Regards,JaCK