Унесенные ветром

Chapter 16

           ThetruthwasthattheNorthwasholdingtheSouthinavirtualstateofsiege,thoughmanydidnotrealizeit.TheYankeegunboatshadtightenedthemeshattheportsandveryfewshipswerenowabletoslippasttheblockade.

           TheSouthhadalwayslivedbysellingcottonandbuyingthethingsitdidnotproduce,butnowitcouldneithersellnorbuy.GeraldO’Harahadthreeyears’cropsofcottonstoredundertheshedneartheginhouseatTara,butlittlegooditdidhim.InLiverpoolitwouldbringonehundredandfiftythousanddollars,buttherewasnohopeofgettingittoLiverpool.Geraldhadchangedfromawealthymantoamanwhowaswonderinghowhewouldfeedhisfamilyandhisnegroesthroughthewinter.

           ThroughouttheSouth,mostofthecottonplanterswereinthesamefix.Withtheblockadeclosingtighterandtighter,therewasnowaytogettheSouth’smoneycroptoitsmarketinEngland,nowaytobringinthenecessarieswhichcottonmoneyhadbroughtinyearsgoneby.AndtheagriculturalSouth,wagingwarwiththeindustrialNorth,wasneedingsomanythingsnow,thingsithadneverthoughtofbuyingintimesofpeace.

           Itwasasituationmadetoorderforspeculatorsandprofiteers,andmenwerenotlackingtotakeadvantageofit.Asfoodandclothinggrewscarcerandpricesrosehigherandhigher,thepublicoutcryagainstthespeculatorsgrewlouderandmorevenomous.

Настройки
Фон страницы
Размер шрифта
Межстрочный интервал
Фразовые глаголы
Показать / Скрыть меню
Шрифт
Roboto Lora
Уведомления
Страница 383 из 1537