The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1910-02-03
A BIT OF DIPLOMACY
An English Official Who 0utWtt-
ted a French Admiral.
HOW Perrin ISLAND WAS WON

The interesting Story That 10 Told by
White House on the Fsrsshors Of
the Arabian Coast At the Southern
Entrance to the Red Sea.
On the foreshore Of the Arabian !
coast in the strait Of Bab-el-Mandeb.
at the southern entrance to the Red
sea, stands a large white house con
eerning which the travellers to the far
east may hear a curious story. In the
middle Of the nineteenth century,
when NJ. de Lesseps after many difh-
eulties had successfully foated the
suez Canal company, the governor OF
the British port Of Alden. about 100
miles distant, was surprised one morn
ing by the visit Of 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 it impos-
sible to extract any further informa-
ton from the French admiral or his
officers beyond the statement that
they were upon an ordinary cruise, an
explanation which the former was not
the least inclined to believe.
| Firm in the belief, therefore, that
some political move Of great impor-
lance was afloat, If not afoot, the gov
ernor, In order first Of all to gain time,
gave orders to go very tortoise-like on
the repairs and then set to work to
take the Frenchmen off their guard by
giving a succession of such entertain
ments as both his slender means ana
the awful barrenness Of the place
would afford.
But, though at the end Of two weeks
the French and British officers had got
upon the best of terms, the immediate
destination Of the French squadron
remained as much Of a mystery to
the governor Of Alden as before, and
| in spite of all possible delay the re-
pairs 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 re-
gard seriously. 1t occurred to the gov
ernor that by such means something
might be learned of his unexpected
visitors plans, and a private CONVEX
sation between the governors wife
and her maid resulted In another be-
tween the latter and her French ad-
nirer, by which it was discovered
that Perrin island was the objective
point.
At this information the governor
opened his eyes wide indeed, for, It
the Suez canal were cut through, Pc
rim, as commanding the southern en-
trance to the Red sea, in the middle
of the strait of Babel Mandeb, would
be a place of great strategic impor-
lance, over which. without doubt, 1t
was the intention of the French ad-
miral to hoist the tricolor.
Secretly giving orders, therefore, for
gunboat to Immediately embark 4
|
in the night for Perrin island, the gov
. ernor then announced a farewell ban
quet and ball for the day but one fol
lowing, final act of courtesy with
which the French admiral would WILL
! ingly have dispensed, for he was anx'
ious 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 off, the governor being IN
high spirits, because in the meantime
. he had received the news Of the occu
patton of Perrin, which under the cir
. cumstances would surely be followed
,, by the longed for promotion, and thu
; French admiral was equally happy
for he hoped on the morrow to ado
) the same important little speck Of lane
: to the dominion of his own country
: thereby covering his breast with thu
: stars and himself with maritime glory
: Next day, after an interchange Of
: cordial farewells, the French squadron
; sailed away to an apparently unknown
: destination, until, when clear of thu
: land, the course was laid full speed di
: rect for Perrin island.
: Then what were the dismay and dis
!, appointment Of the French admira
) and his officers when, on coming II
: sight Of their destination, they behelt
. the British flag flying and compan.
: Of soldiers drawn up to give them {
: proper salute. 1t Is said the Frencl
admiral was SO mortified at being thu
; outwitted that he first flung his cock
ed hat overheard and then followed
) himself into the sea.
: Be this as it may, as Perrin wa
: clearly already occupied by the Brit
? ish, the only counter move which tn
: French could make was to take pos
? session of a strip Of the foreshore O.
!. the opposite Arabian coast, wher
they built the fortified white house 1
= question, but as the place was entirel
: ut the mercy Of the guns on Perrin Il
: land it was shortly abandoned. to n
main to this day as monument of
: French admiraps undoing.
: In Honor Of Minerva.
Il The most notable festival at Ather
: was in honor Of Minerva All classe
Of citizens on this particular da
; marched in procession. The olde.
Z went first, then the young men, the
: the children, the young women, Il
matrons and the people Of the low,
= orders. The most prominent object