Kevin J. Foster. THE SEARCH FOR SPEED UNDER STEAM: THE DESIGN OF BLOCKADE RUNNING STEAMSHIPS, 1861-1865. (Under the direction of William N. Still, Jr.) Department of History, June 1991.

The purpose of this thesis is to present a survey of the development of steamships to run the Union blockade of Confederate seaports during the War of Secession.

The first vessels to run the blockade were ordinary traders of all types. As the war progressed and the blockade became more effective, vessels and tactics were modified to improve the chances of a successful "run" through the blockade. Unsuitable ships were weeded out and new vessels were ordered from foreign shipyards.

The Confederacy needed supplies from abroad desperately; British and French mill owners soon needed Southern cotton just as much. Huge profits awaited those bold enough and successful enough to carry cargoes through the blockade.

Ships specially constructed for blockade running introduced many new innovations to shipbuilding. Many runners were built of steel, a new material for large structures. They were driven by specialized powerplants, with huge boilers and powerful engines. Some were propelled by independent twin-screw propellers, introduced first in a blockade runner. They were designed to carry the maximum cargo in a small space.

Stealth, secrecy, and deception became part and parcel of shipbuilding and operation. Ships were made as nearly invisible as possible. Their names, appearance, and official papers were changed frequently. Everything possible was done to make blockade runners difficult to catch.