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Show 3,uflo,Mo o mi ntmu. A I.OAS THAT UAH SI A Dn WITHOUT SITUaiT). A good many things were done at the time nf the Civil War In this country which were of greit value to the Federal Feder-al Government, but which history has newr recognized, Perhaps It wllllira)s remain a mystery mys-tery who It was that placed at the dis. posal of the Government n great fnrtuni in gold without asking nny security, so tint thereby the cruisers which were being built in Pugland for the Confederate Confeder-ate Governmi nt were never permitted to sail out ol hiigllsh harbors, svvs the lloston Woo. In tl e early years of the war ccrtiln shipbuilders In Great llntsin received commissions from the Confederate Government Gov-ernment to build some xery swift steamships, steam-ships, which were to be armed wllh long range guns, nnd which, sailing under letters of marque, were expetled to Inflict great damage upon the vessels sailing under the t'nlon llag, Charles I rancis Adams was Minuter from the United Stiles to the llrltlsh Court, and lie was vcr) anxious about these ships, because ho knew that If they were eer permitted to sail from Pnghsh ports the damage they could do tn vessels sailing under the American llag would be enormous He protested to the IliHKli Government, Govern-ment, nut was told that that Government Govern-ment Ind no inform itlon Unit these ships were designed to prey upon the commerced the United States. Unless Mr. Adams could furnish that Information, Informa-tion, thellnllsh Government could take no steps to restrain them. The vessels were being built, and they were uhnost retd) to put to sea, when Mr. Adams appeared before the llrillsh authorities Willi proof, which he had obtained ob-tained In a manner which he alone knew, and which he kept as n secret lo the da) of Ins death, thai these vesel were paid for with Confederate money, and he also furnished a complete list of ufheers and crews who were to sail upon them. He furnished other evidence which was convincing, At that lime It was said that the Ministry Min-istry was not friendly to the Union cause, and would be glad to see the Confederate Government maintain Itself It-self The law of nations Is very strict, how ever, so that Pngland could be accused ac-cused of doing an unfriendly aet If una permitted these vessels to depart alter such e vldi nee. Mr. Adams believed that the Ministry would find some technical way to evade responsibility, and he had reason lor such belief. Ada) or two after ho had made his Protest with proof he received word from the llrllUli authorities that If be would deposit f5,ooo,ooo In gold Inline-diitcl) Inline-diitcl) to protect the pigllsh Government Govern-ment against suit for damages the ves-bels ves-bels would not be allowed lo depart. Mr. Adams was In despair. Hebe lieved this to be a trick. Of course lie had not j ooo.rxi nt his Instant command, comm-and, and as there was no ocean cable in those days lie could not get It front his Government In much less titan three weeks' time lieforc hecould hearfrom Washington these cruisers would bo out Ukii the high st as As he sat in his office grieving greatly great-ly over this peril, n gentleman walked in who asked that abjulute privacy be secured for n few moments When these two men were alone, it- cure from any possible eavesdropping, this visitor said to Mr. Aditns- ' t have Just learned of the demand made upon you for Jjuocsto In gold us guarantee to the llrltish Government to protect them in cue they prevent the sailing of these cruisers I know that you cannot command any such sum of money as that until )oii hear from W aslilngton. "I believe that this has been done to enable the vessels to sail aw ay. Therefore There-fore I have come to offer tou, Mr Adams, that f$oio,aa in gold, and I bave only one condition to Impose, and th it Is that m ninio be never known In this transaction." Mr. Adami was amazed. It seemed to hint as though this was n .1lnct In terpositlon of Providence After thanking thank-ing mast earnestly his benefactor, Mr. Adams said to him I "I have no security to olfer to vou except my pledge tint I will send tn Washington Immediately and ask that the Government forward to you its bonds ns security for this loin, but for three, weeks at least oil will be without other security than ui) promise " With this agreement the benefactor departed, and before mghllall Mr, Adams had dekllcd the Si;mu,ooti!ii gold, to the luteins surprise-ol the llril uh officials. 1 hey weru obliged to I eep their word, and the cruisers were restrain, cd, and thus this great peiil wis removed. re-moved. As soon as it was possible to hear from Wiihliiugton Mr. Adams received some f loouoouo in Government bonds, w luchwere turned Over lo the benefactor nsscctii!l).Of course heteceivedjiisgold back afterward and I he bonds were ie turned. Only one living man knows who tills benefactor was, President Lincoln knew. Secretary Chase and Mr. Adams also, and they died without revealing the secret. Mr Chittenden, who was Register of the lie.ury, and who took the bonds to Pngland, now knows, and he has enclosed en-closed the name In an envelope, despos-itedit despos-itedit with theSecretar) of the Treat-ury. Treat-ury. und after his death it may be given to the world. Yet financiers are satisfied that this benefactor of the United Slatea wlio risked f,ux,ooo lo save It from peril was either George Peabody. the banker and philanthropist, who had long lived In London, or clsu one of the Daring Brothers These weru the only men capable of commanding on the Instant so great n amount of money as that in gold, who wero alio so Irlendly to the United States as lo Induce them to make this amazing offer, Mr Adams used to jay, had It not been fur this timely aid, perhaps the history of the Civil War would have been differently willtcii. |