The css Alabama was launched in 1862 from Birkenhead England, across the river Mersey in Liverpool. She spent her career as a commerce raider and was under orders not to engage the enemy unless provoked. She was 220 ft and 1050 tons with a 31 foot beam. With both steam and sail she was hard to pin down by the Union navy. Under steam she could make 12 knots. After sinking and burning dozens of ships in her two years of service(during which time she never docked at a southern port) she was sunk in an epic battle by the U.S.S. kearsarge in the English channel off the coast of France. The wreck was found in 1984. The steam funnel could be raised or lowered as was needed to fool prey. Also the propeller could be raised when only the sails were used to reduce drag.In 1871 the U.S. government sought and was awarded 15.5 million dollars in damages from the British gov. because of the confederate raider because it had been built in England.