for the remainder of the war, most european countries had little to gain by recognizing the confederacy as a sovereign nation. lincoln was diplomatic in his handling of two confederates who had been arrested on the british ship the trent. he ordered them both released. crop failures in europe made union agricultural products popular. egypt and india were able to supply the cotton that was formerly bought from the south before the war. the union was also a good customer for small arms and other manufactured goods from europe. however, dozens of blockade runners and warships were constructed for the confederate navy by english shipbuilders during the war.