威廉·亨利·西沃德与“特伦特号”事件

William Henry Seward and The Incident of “Trent”

"特伦特号"事件是美国内战期间联邦政府面对的一次重大外交危机。主持日常外交活动的美国国务卿威廉·亨利·西沃德采取了灵活机动的外交策略,说服林肯以及内阁成员接受了英国提出的释放南部同盟特使的要求,在和平解决"特伦特号"事件的过程中发挥了重要的作用,为联邦政府取得内战的最终胜利提供了良好的国际环境,并对英国的海上优势和先前制定的国际法提出了挑战。

During the American Civil War,the Incident of ＂Trent＂ became a major diplomatic crisis facing the Federal Government. Presiding over routine diplomatic activities of the USA, William Henry Seward, the then Secretary of State, adopted a flexible foreign policy. He persuaded Lincoln and the cabinet members to accept the British requirement to release the Southern Union envoys, thus playing an important role in peacefully setding the Incident of ＂Trent＂, and providing the Federal Government with a favorable international environment that ensured the final victory of the Civil War. At the same time he presented a challenge against the UK maritime superiority and the previously designated international law.