Now just going off the idea of the CSA winning its independence, use whatever cliche you want, how would the Navy be able to develop?
They may well have considered submarines, initially short range coastal types and then longer range types
Probably as a coastal defense force with attempts at building a sea going, commerce raiding fleet until prestige demands dreadnoughts which turn out to be budget-bustingly bad ideas.
"Not at all well" in other words.
Why would they try submarines more than regular vessels? Considering the limitations of early submarines, even the ones that didn't wind up killing most of their crews.
They may not have gone that way (subs) initially but in longer term I think they would have as it would give them the proverbial bang for the buck. Anther consideration would be that they had to have had some group in their navy who were submarine minded seeing as they kept trying with the Huntley
They probably aren't going to adopt the thinking of Mahan since it would be impossible for them to achieve naval supremacy and protect their own trade. Juene Ecole would be of interest to them however, as they would be able to build and/or purchase enough cruisers and raiding ships to pose a threat to US trade. Submarines would fit right into the Juene Ecole doctrine.
The CSA wouldn't need parity with the US, just enough to form a fleet in being and tie down USN assets. If they have allies even a small fleet can pose a strategic advantage by limiting the USN's abilities in other areas. If they can have superior equipment and training even better. The German Navy didn't need to match the Royal Navy in dreadnoughts to pose a threat in World War I, and the IJN put up quite the fight against the USN in World War II.
They probably aren't going to adopt the thinking of Mahan since it would be impossible for them to achieve naval supremacy and protect their own trade. Juene Ecole would be of interest to them however, as they would be able to build and/or purchase enough cruisers and raiding ships to pose a threat to US trade. Submarines would fit right into the Juene Ecole doctrine.
I think an excellent example to consider is the Imperial Germany Navy of the 1870s to 1880s. There would be a lot in common between the IGN and the CSN to give one an idea of how things would progress. The Germans formulated a strategy similar to but predating the French Jeune Ecole which they employed during the Franco-Prussian War.
Undoubtedly, the Confederation would initially turn to overseas shipyards for large warships at first. At least three advantages the CSN has over the IGN is an established officer corps with battle experience, established naval bases and a naval heritage to draw upon. The CSN would go thru the various stages of being first a green water navy and then a blue water navy.
Yes but with no industrial base. Attempting to build one dreadnought would be a national undertaking. The CSN would be closer to Chile and Brazil at best, but probably closer to the brown-water capabilities of Argentina at the time.
Also, I assume you will want slaves on industrial era ships to shovel coal and so forth; so now you have the possibility of slave revolts at sea.
The Confederates would have more money than those three nations, and it can easily purchase British or French built ships.
Stunningly bad, of course, especially because, like the early US, they wouldn't be able to afford anything much new until their debts cleared, and, like OTL, 95+% would've been glubbed or taken during the war from Union naval superiority.