e
Rams, caused American anxiety and ultimately created a doubt of the
sincerity of British actions.

Public opinion in England was steadily increasing against Southern
ship-building. On June 9, a memorial was sent to the Foreign Office by a
group of ship-owners in Liverpool, suggesting an alteration in the
Foreign Enlistment Act if this were needed to prevent the issue of
Southern ships, and pointing out that the "present policy" of the
Government would entail a serious danger to British commerce in the
future if, when England herself became a belligerent, neutral ports
could be used by the enemy to build commerce destroyers[1017]. The
memorial concluded that in any case it was a disgrace that British law
should be so publicly infringed. To this, Hammond, under-secretary, gave
the old answer that the law was adequate "provided proof can be obtained
of any act done with the intent to violate it[1018]." Evidently
ship-owners, as distinguished from ship-builders, were now acutely
alarmed. Meanwhile attention was fixed on the trial of the _Alexandra_,
and on June 22, a decision was rendered against the Government, but was
promptly appealed.

This decision made both Northern and Southern agents anxious and the
latter took steps further to becloud the status of the Rams. Rumours
were spread that the vessels were in fact intended for France, and when
this was disproved that they were being built for the Viceroy of Egypt.
This also proved to be untrue. Finally it was declared that the real
owners were certain French merchants whose purpose in contracting for
such clearly warlike vessels was left in mystery, but with the
intimation that Egypt was to be the ultimate purchaser. Captain Bullock
had indeed made such a contract of sale to French merchants but with the
proviso of resale to him, after delivery. On his part, Russell was
seeking _proof_ fully adequate to seizure, but this was difficult to
obtain and such as was submitted was regarded by the law officers as
inadequate. They reported that there was "no evidence capable of being
presented to a court of justice." He informed Adams of this legal
opinion at the moment when the latter, knowing the Rams to be nearing
completion, and fearing that Russell was weakening in his earlier
determination, began that series of diplomatic protests which very
nearly approached a threat of war.

At Washington also anxiety was again aroused by the court's decision in
the _Alexandra_ case,