Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1901-12-27
A BIT OF DIPLOMACY.
CLEVER TRICK OF AN ENGLISH GOV
ERNoR OF THE PORT OF AoEN.

Monument or the Undoine oe
French Admiral.
On the foreshore Of the Arabian cons
In the strait Of Bab.el-alandeb M tb
a southern entrance to the Red sen
3 stands a large white house concernin,
0 which the travellers to the far east ma,
near curious story In the middle o
the nineteenth century. when NJ. d,
Iesseps, after many difficulties. hat
successfully foated the Suez Cam
. company. the governor Of the British
port of Alden, about 100 miles dlsta.,f
was surprised one morning 10y the visit
OF a French squadron Of very unusual
size for that part of the orient which
having encountered terrific storm of
Sokotra, had put in for repairs.
In the mind OF the governor curiosity
was at once aroused as to the destina.
ton OF so large a command. a curiosity
which Increased as he found IL impossl-
ble to extract any further information
from the French admiral or his officers
beyond the statement that they were
upon an ordinary cruise an explana-
tion which the former was not the
least inclined to believe.
Firm in the belief, therefore, that
some political move Of great impor-
tance was afloat If not afoot. the gov.
ernor, In order first of al to gain time.
gave orders to gH very tortolselike on
the repairs and then set to work to take
the Frenchmen of their guard by civ.
ing q succession of such entertainments
as both his slender means and the aw.
fui barrenness of the place would af-
ford
But though at the end Of two weeks
the French and British officers had rot
upon the best Of terms the Immediate
destination of the French squadron re.
mained as much of a mystery to the
governor of Alden as before. and in
spite of all possible delay the repairs
were nearly completed.
Now, 1t happened that the wife of
the governor possessed an Irish maid.
who had been receiving attentions
from one of the French petty officers
attentions which the girl did not regard
seriously. 1t occurred to the governor
that by such means something might
be learned of his unexpected visitors
plans, and private conversation be-
tween the governors wife and her
maid resulted In another between the
latter and her French admirer. by
which it was discovered that Perrin is
land was the objective point.
AT this information the governor
opened his eyes wide indeed. for. II the
SIez canal were cut through. Perrin. as
commanding the southern entrance TO |
the Red sea, in the middle of the strait |
of Bab-el-Mandeb, would be a place Of
great strategic Importance, over which. |
without doubt. it was the Intention OF |
the French admiral to hoist the tri-
color.
Secretly giving orders, therefore for
a gunboat to Immediately embark de-
tachment of soldiers and steal away in
the night for Perrin island the govern
or then announced farewell banquet
and ball for the day but one following,
final act of courtesy with which the
French admiral would willingly have
dispensed. for he was anxious to sail,
but which he could not well refuse on
account of the use he had made Of the
British supplies and machinery at
Alden.
So the dinner and party In due course
came on. the governor being in high
spirits, because in the meantime he had
received the news of the occupation OF
Perrin, which under the circumstances
would surely be followed by the lOnrpd
or promotion, and the French adm. ii
was equally happy, for he hoped on the
morrow to add the same important lit
lie speck of land to the dominion Of his
'wn country. thereby covering bis
'reast with the stars and himself with
maritime glory
Next day, after an interchange Of
ordial farewells. the French squadron
allied away to an apparently unknown
destination. until when clear Of the
and, the course was laid full speed d.
ect for Perrin island.
Then what was the dismay and dis
ppointment of the French admiral and J f
is officers when. on coming in sight OF ,
heir destination, they beheld the Brit
81 Tag dying and a company of sol
iers drawn up to give them a proper [
alute. II Is said the French admiral C
'as so mortified at being thus outwit- 8
I'd that he first dung bis cooked nat !,
Verboard and then followed 1t himself
Ito the sea.
BE this as 1t may. as Perrin was
Iearly already occupied by the British,
he only counter move which the =
rench coulG make was to take posses
on Of a strip of the foreshore on the
pposite Arabian coast, where they 0
uilt the fortified white house in uues- b
on. but as the place was entirely at b
le mercy Of the guns on Perrin Island "a
was shortly abandoned. TO remain to d
lis day as monument of a French n
imiral's undoing. Exchange. =
InOppOrtune. d