Thus Russell would not have Great Britain go to war with America without the sanction of Parliament, and was seeking reasons for delay.  He was reacting, in fact, to a more sobering second thought which was experienced also by nearly everyone, save the eager British “Southerner,” in public and in newspaper circles.  The first explosion of the Press, on receipt of the news of the Trent, had been a terrific one.  The British lion, insulted in its chosen field of supremacy, the sea, had pawed the air in frenzy though at first preserving a certain slow dignity of motion.  Customary “strong leader-writing” became vigorous, indeed, in editorial treatment of America and in demand for the prompt release of the envoys with suitable apology.  The close touch of leading papers with Governmental opinion is well shown, as in the Times, by the day-to-day editorials of the first week.  On November 28 there was solemn and anxious consideration of a grave crisis with much questioning of international law, which was acknowledged to be doubtful.  But even if old British practice seemed to support Captain Wilkes, the present was not to be controlled by a discarded past, and “essential differences” were pointed out.  This tone of vexed uncertainty changed to a note of positive assurance and militant patriotism on November 30 when the Government made its demand.  The Times up to December 2, thought it absolutely certain that Wilkes had acted on authorization, and devoted much space to Seward as the evil genius of American warlike policy toward England.  The old “Duke of Newcastle story” was revamped.  But on December 2 there reached London the first, very brief, American news of the arrival of the San Jacinto at Fortress Monroe, and this contained a positive statement by Wilkes that he had had no orders.  The Times was sceptical, but printed the news as having an important bearing, if true, and, at the same time, printed communications by “Justicia” and others advising a “go slowly” policy[432].  Yet all British papers indulged in sharp reflections on American insults, displayed keen resentment, and demanded a prompt yielding to the Governmental demand.

An intelligent American long resident in London, wrote to Seward on November 29:  “There never was within memory such a burst of feeling as has been created by the news of the boarding of [the Trent].  The people are frantic with rage, and were the country polled, I fear 999 men out of a thousand would declare for immediate war.  Lord Palmerston cannot resist the impulse if he would.”  And another American, in Edinburgh, wrote to his uncle in New York:  “I have never seen so intense a feeling of indignation exhibited in my life.  It pervades all classes, and may make itself heard above the wiser theories of the Cabinet officers[433].”  If such were the British temper, it would require skilful handling by even a pacific-minded Government to avoid war.  Even without belligerent newspaper utterances