The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1910-03-02
4 BIT Of DIPLOMACY
An English Official Who 0utw!t-
ted a French Admiral.
HOW PERM ISLAND WAS WON
The interesting stcry That is Told BY
4 White House 0. the Forcsho:e OF
ehe Arabian Coas: - the Southern
Entrance to the SeG Sea.

White House 0. the Foresho:e OF
she Arabian Coss. - the Southern
Entrance to the SeG Sea.
On the forc>t:orc uC the Arabian
ccast IN ghc strait OF Bab-ci-Nandeb.
ae the soutGern entrance TO the Red
SCH. stands 4 large white house con
cera:ns which the travellers 10 The far
east may hear :, curious story. IN the
middle o: the nineteenth century.
when NJ dc LcsScnS after many diiS-
culsies had successfully foatcd ;cc
Sucz Cana! company. tie governor OF
the E:itiSh port % -,dca, about 100
miles distant. WAS surprised one iaorn-
inc Sr the visit of = French squadron
OF very unuSua! size for that part OF
the orient. which. having encountered
. terrific storm CT Sokotra. had put
in 70. repairs.
In the ni.d OF the governor curiosity
was at once arouscs, rs 70 the deS,ina-
ton OF 50 large i command. curiosity
which Increased rs he found it impoS-
s!b!e TO extract any further inforrla-
ton from the E-cnch admiral or his
officers beycud the statement that
they were Upoa an ordinary cruise. IN
explanation which tee former was not
the :east Inclined 10 believe.
Firm il the belief. therefore. that
some political move OF great impoE-
rance was aaoat. IL not afoot. the gov
ernor. in order first Of all 20 gain time.
gave orders TO go very toCtoiSe-!ikc on
the repairs and then set 70 work TO
take tie Frenchmen oS their guard by
giving j succession of such entertain
n.ents IS both his slender means and
the awful ba--enncss Of the place
would afford.
But. ;svl:h at the end Of two weeks
the French ana British officers had got
upon the best OF terms. the immediate
destination OF the French squadron
remained IS much OF mystery TO
the governor Of Alden as before. and
in spite OF all possible delay the re
pairs were nearly completed
Now. it happened that the wife OF
the governor possessed an Irish nlaid'
who had been receiving attentions
from one Of the French petty officers
attentions which the girl did not re-
GARD seriously It occurred TO the gov
ernor that by such means something
rciyhs be learned Of his unexpected
visitors plans. and private eonrec-
Sation between the governors W.1e
and her maid resulted in another be
tween the latter and her French al
mirer, by which it was discovered
:sar Perrin island was the objective
poiat-
At this information the governor
coered his eyes wide indeed. for. II
the Suez canal We're cut through. fe-
rim. rs commanding the southern en-
trance to the Red sea. in the middle
o. the strait of BaS-el-M2ndee, would
he place Of great strategic impor-
,ance. over which. without doubt, II
was the Intention OF the French ad-
n,iSai 20 hoist the tr;color.
Secretly giving orders. therefore. for
5 suaboae to Immediately embark
desachmeat os soldiers and steal away
in the Right for Perrin island, the gov
ernor then announced = farewell ban
aues and ball Tor the day bat ore fo!-
,oys1s. . final act OF courtesy with
which the French admiral would will
insiy have dispensed, for he was anx-
ious 10 sail, but which lie could not
well refuse on account oe the use ae
had made Of the British supplies and
machinery 1t Alden
So the dinner and party IN cue
course came OF. the governor being ID
kish spirits, because In the m@auaIie
he had received the CewS CT the occu-
nation Of Perim, which under the cir
cumstances would surely Se fol!o& co
by the !ouSed for promotion. and the
French admiral was equally happy.
for he hoped on the morrow 20 a8o
the same important little speck Of land
20 the dominion OF his OWN country,
thereby covering lis breast With the
stars and himself with maritime glory.
f. Mex, day. after an Interchange et
cordial farcweils. the French squadron
sailed :rway 70 az apparently unknown
destination, until. whea clear OF the
iard, the course was laid full speed di-
rect for Perrin island.
Then what were the distnay and dis
appointment OF the French admiral
and his officers when. on coming IN
sight OF their destination. they beheld
the British saS Hyicg and Z company
Of soldiers drawn up 70 give them
proper salute. 1t IS said the French
admsra, was SO mortified at being thus
octwitteSi that he first flung his cock
ed ha. overheard and then followed &
himself into the sea.
Be this as il may, IS Perrin WAS
clearly already occupied by the SSit-
:sh. the only counter move which the
French could make was to take pos
sess;oa OF q strip OF the foreshore on
the opposite Arabian coast. where
they built the fortified white house in
question. but as the place was entirely
at the mercy OF :hc guns on Perrin IS
land it was shortly abandoned. to re-
main to this day rs monument Of
French admiravs undoinS.-E1chaaSe.
HOW INSECTS BREATHE.