Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1910-02-18
A BIT OF D pL0MACY
An English Official Who Outwit-
ted a French Admiral.
HOW PERRIN ISLiMD WAS WON

White House on che Foreshore 81
the Arabian Coast at the Southern
Entrance to the Red Sea.
On the foreshore Of the Arabian
coast I'm the strait Of Bab-el-Mandeb
at the southern entrance to the Red
sea, stands large white house con
corning which the travellers to the fan
east may hear curious story. In the
middle of the nineteenth century
when NJ. de Lesseps after many diff
culties had successfully fioated the
Suez Canal company. the governor OF
the British port of Alden, about 1OC
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
a terrific storm Off Sokotra. had pu,
in for repairs.
In the mind of the governor curiosity
was at once aroused as TO the destina-
ton OF so large com mand. curiosity
which increased as he found 1t impos,
sibie to extract any further informa,
ton from the French admiral or his
officers beyond the statement that
they were upon a. 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. il not afoot. the gov
ernor. in order first OF all to gain time
gave orders to go very tortsise-like on
the repairs and then set to work to
take the Ereacbmen off their guard by
giving q succession Of such entertain
ments as both his slender means and
the awful barrepness of The place
would afford.
But, though at the end OF two weeks
the French and British officers had got
hpon the best Of terms. the Immediate
destination of the French squadron
remained rs much Of a mystery to
the governor OF Alden as before, and
i'm spite OF all possible delay the re-
pairs were nearly completed.
Now, it happened that the wife OF
the governor possessed an Irish maid
who had been receiving attentions
from one of the fISench petty officers
attentions which the eiS, did not re
gard seriously. 1t occurred to ths RQy,
error that by such means something
might be learned of his unexpected
visitors pla2s, and private CONVEX
sation between the governors wife
and her maid resulted in another be
tween the latter anu her French ad-
mirer, by which 1t was discovered
that Perrin island was the objective
point.
At this information the governor
opened his eyes wide indeed. for, II
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 Bab-ei-aIandeb, would
be place of great strategic impor-
tance. over which. without doubt. Il
WAS the intoption OF the French ad-
miral TO hoist the tricolor.
Secretly giving orders. therefore, for
n gunboat TO Immediately embark q
detachment OF soldiers and steal away
I'm the night for Perrin island, the gov
ernor then announced q farewell BAN
quet and ball for the day bpt one fol-
lowing. q 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 ard party in due
course came or. 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 the
French admiral was equally happy,
for he hoped on the morrow to add
the same important little speck OF land
to the dominion OF his own country,
thereby covering his breast with the
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 the
land, the course was laid full speed di
rect for Perrin island.
Then what were the dismay and dis
appointment OF the French admiral
and his officers when, on coming in
sight Of their destination, they beheld
the British flag dying and a company
OF soldiers drawn up to give them a
proper salute. 1t Is said the French
admiral was so mortified at being thus
Outwitted that he first flung his cock
ed hat overheard and then followed It
himself into the sea,
Be this as 1t may, as Perrin was
clearly already occupied by the Brit,
ish. the only counter move which the
French could make was to take pos
session Of 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 the guns ON Perrin is
land 1t was shortly abandoned. to re-
main to this day as a monument of a