In March 1862, a contract was placed with Laird & Son Co. by Captain James D. Bulloch, a naval agent for the Confederate States of America, for two double-turreted warships designed for ramming attacks at a cost of £93,750 each, exclusive of armament and ammunition.
ɪn mˈɑːɹtʃ wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd sˈɪksti tˈuː, ɐ kˈɑːntɹækt wʌz plˈeɪst wɪð lˈɛɹd ænd sˈʌn kˈoʊ. baɪ kˈæptɪn dʒˈeɪmz dˈiː. bˈʊlɑːk, ɐ nˈeɪvəl ˈeɪdʒənt fɚðə kənfˈɛdɚɹət stˈeɪts ʌv ɐmˈɛɹɪkə, fɔːɹ tˈuː dˈʌbəltˈɜːɹɪɾᵻd wˈɔːɹʃɪps dɪzˈaɪnd fɔːɹ ɹˈæmɪŋ ɐtˈæks æɾə kˈɔst ʌv pˈaʊnd nˈaɪnti θɹˈiː,sˈɛvənhˈʌndɹɪd fˈɪfti ˈiːtʃ, ɛksklˈuːsɪv ʌv ˈɑːɹməmənt ænd ˌæmjuːnˈɪʃən.