Naturally, and as in duty bound, he sought to preserve that trade.

At first, indeed, he seems to have thought that even though a civil war really ensued the trade might continue uninterrupted.

Certainly he bore hard and constantly on this one point, seeking to influence not only officials at Washington but the public press.

Thus, in a letter to Bunch dated April 12, 1861, at a time when he knew that W.H.Russell, the _Times_ correspondent, would shortly appear in Charleston, he instructed Bunch to remember that in talking to Russell he must especially impress him with the idea that any interruption of trade might and probably would result in a British recognition of the South.

Lyons wrote, "...
the _only_ chance, if chance there still be of preventing an interruption of the English commerce with the S.is the fear entertained here, that it would lead to our recognizing the S.C.[101]" In these words is revealed, however, as in other communications from Lyons, the fact that he was striving to prevent an interruption of trade rather than that he was convinced such interruption ought to result in a British recognition of the South.