Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1910-02-08
A BIT OF DIPLOMACY.

A BIT OF DIPLOMACY.
An English Official Who outwittsd Q
French Admiral.
On the foreshore Of the Arabian
coast is the strait Of Bab-el-Mandeb,
at the southern entrance to the Red
sea, stands a large white house con-
cerning which the travellers to the far
east may hear a curious story. In the
middle Of the nineteenth century,
when M. de Lesseps after many diff
culties had successfully fioated 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
a terrific storm of Sokotra, had put
in for repairs.
In the mind Of the governor curios-
ity was at once aroused as to the des-
tination Of so large command, q GU
riosity which increased as he found 1t
Impossible to extract any further In
formation from the French admiral
or his officers beyond the statement
that they were upon an ordinary
cruise, an explanation which the for
mer was not the least inclined to be-
/ lieve.
Firm in the belief, therefore, that
some political move Of great impor-
tance was afoat, II 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 OF their guard
by giving a succession Of such enter
tainments as both his slender means
and 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 q mystery to the
governor Of Alden as before. and in
spite Of all possible delay the repairs
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 French petty oficers
attentions which the girl did not re-
gard seriously. It occurred to the
governor that by such means some-
thing might be learned of his unex-
pected visitors plans, and private
conversation between the governors
wife and her maid resulted In another
between the latter and her French ad-
mirer, by which It 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, Fe-
rim, as commanding the southern en-
trance to the Red sea, In the middle
Of the strait Of Babel -Mandeb, would
be place Of great strategic impor-
tance, over which. without doubt, It
was the intention Of the French adj
miral to hoist the tricolor.
Secretly giving orders. therefore.
for gunboat to Immediately embark
a detachment of soldiers and steal
away In the night for Perrin island.
the governor then announced q fare-
well banquet and BAN for the day but
one following. q 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 OF, the governor being
in high spirits. because in the mean
time he had received the news Of the
occupation Of Perrin, which under the
circumstances would surely be follow
ed by the longed for promotion, and
the French admiral was equally hap
py, for he hoped on the morrow to add
the same important little speck Of
land to the dominion of his own coun-
try, 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 d.
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 flying and q company
Of soldiers drawn up to give them a
proper salute It il said the French
admiral was so mortified at being thus
outwitted that he first flung his cooked
hat overheard and then followed 1t
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 a strip Of the foreshore on
the opposite Arabian coast, where they
built the fortified white house in ques-
ton, but as the place was entirely at
the mercy Of the guns on Perrin island
It was shortly abandoned, to remain to
this day as q monument Of French
oax,,rops p0-EYchan1e