Were any warships less useful than Kamchatka?

Were any warships less useful than Kamchatka?

British-built Confederate steam rams and some French ships are suggested, with the rams ultimately purchased by the Royal Navy.

The humorous comparison names steam rams built in Britain for the Confederacy and adds that some French ships also qualify. The British government forced the purchase of the rams to prevent a potential international incident. Their intended Confederate service therefore ended before they could perform that role. The joke opens onto a real problem of neutral shipbuilding, procurement, and diplomacy during the American Civil War.