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A communique delivered by Lord Lyons, Ambassador to the United States, to Secretary of State William Seward, January 2, 1862:
It is the position of Her Majesty's government that the sinking of Her Majesty's ship Trent, and the shameful massacre of her passengers and crew, man, woman, and child, as they were wanting in vain of rescue, at the hands of the San Jacintho, is nothing other than a vile and wanton act of Piracy so savage and so repugnant to the rule of law or common decency that it can be abided by no civilized nation.

The Cabinet finds the present blockade of the Confederate States of America to be in violation of the laws of the sea, commerce, and of war, and it ought to and shall either be ended immediately or broken by force.

The Cabinet finds that it is in the interest of HM's government to recognize as a free and independent state the Confederate States of America. Further interference with the diplomatic relations between the parties of the Confederate States, HM's government, and France, shall be considered as an act of War.

London December 13, 1861
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