 The United States consul, William Blanchard, insisted that the Victorian government arrest the Confederates as pirates, but Victoria's governor, Sir Charles Henry Darling, ignored his pleas, satisfied with the "Shenandoah"’s pleading of neutrality when requesting to be allowed to undertake repairs.Aside from a few fist fights between Americans, there was no direct conflict between the two warring sides in Melbourne.However, there were eighteen desertions while ashore, and there were constant threats of Northern sympathisers joining the crew in order to capture the ship when it was at sea.