The h2g2 Literary Corner: Blockade Runners
Created | Updated Aug 3, 2015
Jules Verne is rightly famous for his scientific predictions. But did you know that he could write like a politically incorrect Tom Clancy? Here's an annotated excerpt (i.e., the usual snarky comments) from his 1865 novella, The Blockade Runners. We think the movie should star David Tennant. After all, the main character's from Glasgow, and he just rocks that accent. And there has to be a part for Jason Statham1.
The Blockade Runners, Chapter I
Ed. note: The story starts with the launching of the Dolphin, a steamship, on the River Clyde. There is a bit of peroration about how the Scotch [sic] are great shipbuilders, and 'the descendants of the famous Highlanders have become manufacturers, and that they have made workmen of all the vassals of the old clan chieftains.' We spare you the rest and get to the set-up.
A rich, powerful, intelligent house of business was that of Vincent Playfair2 & Co., in a social sense, an old and honourable family, descended from those tobacco lords who built the finest quarters of the town3. These clever merchants, by an act of the Union4, had founded the first Glasgow warehouse for dealing in tobacco from Virginia and Maryland. Immense fortunes were realised5; mills and foundries sprang up in all parts6, and in a few years the prosperity of the city attained its height7.
The house of Playfair remained faithful to the enterprising spirit of its ancestors8, it entered into the most daring schemes, and maintained the honour of English commerce9. The principal, Vincent Playfair, a man of fifty, with a temperament essentially practical and decided, although somewhat daring, was a genuine shipowner. Nothing affected him beyond commercial questions, not even the political side of the transactions, otherwise he was a perfectly loyal and honest man10.
However, he could not lay claim to the idea of building and fitting up the Dolphin; she belonged to his nephew, James Playfair, a fine young man of thirty, the boldest skipper of the British11 merchant marine.
It was one day at the Tontine coffee-room12 under the arcades of the town hall, that James Playfair, after having impatiently scanned the American journals disclosed to his uncle an adventurous scheme.
"Uncle Vincent," said he, coming to the point at once, "there are two millions of pounds to be gained in less than a month."
"And what to risk?" asked Uncle Vincent.
"A ship and a cargo."
"Nothing else?"
"Nothing, except the crew and the captain, and that does not reckon for much13."
"Let us see," said Uncle Vincent.
"It is all seen," replied James Playfair. "You have read the Tribune, the New York Herald, The Times, the Richmond Inquirer14, the American Review?"
"Scores of times, nephew."
"You believe, like me, that the war of the United States will last a long time still?"
"A very long time."
"You know how much this struggle will affect the interests of England, and especially those of Glasgow15?"
"And more especially still the house of Playfair & Co.," replied Uncle Vincent.
"Theirs especially," added the young Captain.
"I worry myself about it every day, James, and I cannot think without terror of the commercial disasters which this war may produce; not but that the house of Playfair is firmly established, nephew; at the same time it has correspondents which may fail. Ah! Those Americans, slave-holders or Abolitionists, I have no faith in them16!"
If Vincent Playfair was wrong in thus speaking with respect to the great principles of humanity17, always and everywhere superior to personal interests, he was, nevertheless, right from a commercial point of view. The most important material was failing at Glasgow, the cotton famine became every day more threatening, thousands of workmen were reduced to living upon public charity. Glasgow possessed 25,000 looms, by which 625,000 yards of cotton were spun daily; that is to say, fifty millions of pounds yearly. From these numbers it may be guessed what disturbances were caused in the commercial part of the town when the raw material failed altogether. Failures were hourly taking place, the manufactories were closed, and the workmen were dying of starvation18.
It was the sight of this great misery which had put the idea of his bold enterprise into James Playfair’s head.
"I will go for cotton, and will get it, cost what it may."
But, as he also was a merchant as well as his uncle Vincent, he resolved to carry out his plan by way of exchange, and to make his proposition under the guise of a commercial enterprise.
"Uncle Vincent," said he, "this is my idea."
"Well, James?"
"It is simply this: we will have a ship built of superior sailing qualities and great bulk."
"That is quite possible."
"We will load her with ammunition of war19, provisions, and clothes."
"Just so20."
"I will take the command of this steamer, I will defy all the ships of the Federal marine for speed, and I will run the blockade of one of the southern ports."
"You must make a good bargain for your cargo with the Confederates, who will be in need of it," said his uncle21.
"And I shall return laden with cotton22."
"Which they will give you for nothing23."
"As you say, Uncle. Will it answer?"
"It will; but shall you be able to get there?"
"I shall, if I have a good ship."
"One can be made on purpose. But the crew?"
"Oh, I will find them. I do not want many men; enough to work with, that is all. It is not a question of fighting with the Federals, but distancing them24."
"They shall be distanced," said Uncle Vincent, in a peremptory tone; "but now, tell me, James, to what port of the American coast do you think of going?"
"Up to now, Uncle, ships have run the blockade of New Orleans, Wilmington25 and Savannah26, but I think of going straight to Charleston27; no English boat has yet been able to penetrate into the harbour, except the Bermuda. I will do like her, and, if my ship draws but very little water, I shall be able to go where the Federalists will not be able to follow."
"The fact is," said Uncle Vincent, "Charleston is overwhelmed with cotton; they are even burning it to get rid of it."
"Yes," replied James; "besides, the town is almost invested28; Beauregard is running short of provisions, and he will pay me a golden price for my cargo!"
Ed. note: We leave you to read the rest, write your own snarky footnotes, and imagine exciting scenes involving David Tennant and/or Jason Statham. There's a good part for your favourite actress, too. She comes on board, disguised as a sailor…you can guess the rest, it's in half-a-hundred movies, at least. Needless to say, everybody comes out looking good, and gets rich at the same time. Just like in the movies.
