September 6, 1862
Letter from Sir Arthur Kirkland in London to Matthew Williams in Quebec
My dearest Matthew,
I hope this letter finds you well. By the time you receive it, I'm sure the seasons in Quebec will have turned solidly towards Autumn, a time I know you cherish and loathe in equal measures. I hear from the governor that this year's harvest has been full and largely unspoiled—it is no small feat, and I congratulate you for this victory in such dark times. I enjoyed seeing your personal gardens outside the city last I visited, and hope your homestead has shared in your countrymen's good fortune this year. I must take a selfish moment to ask that, should you have room in your cellars, you set aside a case of McIntosh apples for me. If you are willing to indulge me even further, I would very much like a cutting of the same tree. I've three young apple trees on my property in Somerset that are now just the right size for grafting. I'm afraid I've spoken high praise of your apples to the gentlemen of Parliament, and not a few have reprimanded me for bloviating about such confections when I have none to share.
I should like nothing more than to spend the rest of this letter imparting news of my own orchards—McIntoshes I have not, but I daresay this years' first scrumpy has been particularly good, and strong too, thank God—but unfortunately my main reason for writing to you is not cider, but something far more grave. It is with neither relish nor pleasure that I remind you of your brother's war, and the potential threat it poses to the Empire. I know it is a constant source of worry for you as well as your governors, just as it is for me in London.
You may have heard, whether by maritime rumor or some other propaganda, that the Confederates have successfully courted Victoria and her government and lured her into supporting their rebellion, but I reassure you these notions are unequivocally false. Lord Palmerston has made very clear his intention to stay neutral in the conflict, so long as it is earthly possible.
However, I must regretfully confirm another rumor that you may have heard, that an English shipwright manufactured one of the Confederacy's newest cruisers. She left British waters as the Enrica, but has been for the last few months terrorizing the Azores as the C.S.S. Alabama, a thorn in the side of Union merchants and a blight on my own efforts for complete neutrality. In equal measure of regret, I must confide that your brother is, apparently, aware of the ship's origin. Should retaliation cross his mind, it is not impossible that he choose to inflict his ire upon you. Your proximity to him is, as it ever has been, a potential danger. This uncomfortable truth forms the crux of my letter to you.
It cannot have escaped your imagination why the Empire has so long remained neutral in the American war. If it were I alone affected, Palmerston would have no doubt sent me across the Atlantic, musket in hand, to fight your cantankerous brother upon the first whiff of a blockade. However, there is considerable worry here in London that, should we give even the illusion of British support for the Confederacy, the United States will turn its eyes northward and violate your border. I realize you and Alfred have shared close and amicable relations for many decades, but I must remind you how war changes nations even more profoundly than men. Alfred is not himself, and may not regain himself for some time. I must ask, though I know it is a herculean task, that you set aside your feelings for your brother and prepare yourself for imminent invasion. Should the United States seek to annex Canada or any of our other colonies while still at war with the Confederates, I fear not only for your own safety, but the safety of whatever men Lincoln will seek to conscript from your undepleted barracks.
While you call your own men to arms and fortify where you can, I must ask that you keep your own person away from all things military. Neutrality is as much a show as it is a diplomatic condition, and you being as far away from the fighting as possible will keep your peoples' minds turned away from war. I was heartened to hear of the incorporation of the city Victoria on your western coastline on Vancouver Island. Do your trains yet reach so far west? I imagine the oncoming winter would be made more tolerable by Pacific coastal winds. I know Gov. Douglas has recently set aside a handsome estate for you there, though I do not know if you've yet had an opportunity to visit. You will have to tell me if the prospectors are as numerous as I've heard.
It would put my old heart considerably at ease to know that you were doing all you can to keep yourself—and the Empire—from becoming the next casualty of your brother's self-destruction. I cannot impart how sorry I am for asking so much of your heart and spirit once more. I am ever-thankful for you, and hope you may enjoy these first days of harvest in wealth and plenty.
Your Ever-Devoted Brother,
Arthur Kirkland, GBE
Historical Notes:
1. McIntosh is the name of an apple variety developed and made popular in eastern Canada in the early 19th century, and is now the national apple of Canada (yup, that's a thing!). Since apple varieties cannot be propagated from seeds, and must be grafted or rooted from cuttings, Arthur here is asking Matthew for a bit of his own McIntosh tree so he can grow McIntosh apples in England. And yes, the McIntosh apple is in fact the inspiration for the name of the modern computer company!
2. "Scrumpy" is a term that probably didn't show up in the English language until about 1904, but I've adopted the term here because it means something very specific to which Arthur is referring. (Hard) apple cider has been a popular drink in England for centuries, but the southwest of England is known for a particular kind of apple cider that is now called scrumpy. Compared to the more refined "export" varieties of cider manufactured at the same time, scrumpy was and is simple, dry, less sweet, and usually still (not carbonated). These roughly-made farmhouse ciders were both easy to make and also usually a great deal stronger alcoholically than the ciders sold at market. If you're ever in the southwest of England (and of drinking age), I strongly recommend trying it! It's delicious.
3. The C.S.S. Alabama has been discussed already, but just a note here to add that for the first two months of its existence as the Alabama, this ship stayed closer to Europe than America. The Azores are an archipelago of islands controlled by Portugal that are west and to the south of the Iberian peninsula. As a bird flies, they are roughly ⅓ the way from Europe to North America. The Alabama did not cross the Atlantic until a bit later. When it did, it arrived and wrought havoc upon the coasts of New England.
4. Yup, one of the reasons England stayed neutral was, in fact, Canada! There was considerable fear that the Americans would attempt to annex Canada. The fear of American annexation of Canada is actually arguably one of the biggest external factors in Canadian history, and would not end with the end of the civil war. It was not until the early 20th century when fears of American annexation subsided.
5. British Columbia was a brand new colony at this point, founded in 1858 and largely fueled by the booming Gold Rush there at the same time. Though the Colony of Vancouver Island was at the time a separate entity, they were managed by the same shrewd governor, James Douglas. The city of Victoria, which today is the capital city of BC, was incorporated as a city in August 1862.