拍品專文
TWO CONFEDERATE DIPLOMATS, NAMED MASON AND SLIDELL, WERE PASSENGERS ON THE TRENT FROM HAVANA FOR GREAT BRITAIN. A U.S. WARSHIP, THE SAN JACINTO COMMANDED BY CAPTAIN CHARLES WILKES, STOPPED THIS BRITISH MAIL STEAMER AT SEA AND FORCIBLY REMOVED MASON AND SLIDELL ON NOVEMBER 8, 1861 AND IMPRISONED THEM IN BOSTON. THIS ACTION WENT AGAINST INTERNATIONAL LAW REGARDING SEARCH AND SIEZURE OF NEUTRAL VESSELS AND GREAT BRITAIN WAS OUTRAGED. THEY CHARTERED THE GREAT EASTERN, THE LARGEST VESSEL AFLOAT, AND OTHER SHIPS TO DELIVER OVER 14,000 ADDITIONAL TROOPS TO CANADA IN PREPARATION FOR WAR. THE BRITISH FLEET ON THE NORTH AMERICAN STATION WAS CONSIDERABLY AUGMENTED AS WELL. THE U.S. WAS FORCED TO APOLOGIZE AND RETURN MASON AND SLIDELL TO A BRITISH PORT. THIS ENTIRE DIPLOMATIC INCIDENT IS KNOWN AS THE TRENT AFFAIR AFTER THE SHIP FROM WHICH THE REBEL GENTLEMEN WERE REMOVED. IT WAS PERHAPS THE GREATEST MOMENT OF TENSION IN U.S.-BRITISH DIPLOMOCY FOLLOWING THE CONCLUSION OF THE WAR OF 1812. MASON AND SLIDELL WERE RELEASED ON CHRISTMAS DAY.