me mail with the official despatch, it
furnished the basis of his "strong" instruction of August 8.

At Washington also there were indications of an effort to prepare a good
case for the British public and Parliament. July 23, so Lyons wrote
privately, Seward had prevented the issue of the "Southern Ports"
Proclamation[523], and on the next day he was shown by Seward,
confidentially, an instruction to Adams and other Ministers abroad in
which was maintained the right to close the ports by proclamation, but
stating the Government's decision not to exercise the right. Lyons
believed this was the end of the matter[524]. Yet on August 12, he
presented himself formally at the Department of State and stated that he
had instructions to declare that "Her Majesty's Government would
consider a decree closing the ports of the South actually in possession
of the insurgent or Confederate States as null and void, and that they
would not submit to measures taken on the high seas in pursuance of such
decree."... "Mr. Seward thanked me for the consideration I had shown;
and begged me to confine myself for the present to the verbal
announcement I had just made. He said it would be difficult for me to
draw up a written communication which would not have the air of a
threat." To this Lyons agreed[525].

This permitted a warmth-creating impression to Englishmen of the
"forthright yet friendly" tone of British diplomats when dealing with
Seward. So also did Russell's instruction of August 8, not yet received
by Lyons when he took the stage at Washington. Yet there is a
possibility that Lyons was in fact merely playing his part as Seward had
asked him to play it. On the next day, August 13, he acknowledged the
receipt of Russell's communication of July 24, in which it was stated
that while Great Britain could not acquiesce in the "Southern Ports"
Bill _no final instructions_ would be sent until Lincoln issued a
Proclamation. Lyons now explained, "As Mr. Seward is undoubtedly at this
moment opposed to closing the Ports, I have thought it wiser to be
guided by him for the present as to the mode of communicating your
decision about the matter[526]." Is it possible that Seward really
wished to have a "strong," yet not "too strong" statement from Lyons in
order to combat the advocates of the "Ports" Bill? There are many
ramifications of diplomatic policy--especially in a popular government.
At any rate on August 16 Lyons could assure Russell that