The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1910-01-22
A BIT OF DIPLOMACY
An English Official Who 0utwit.
ted a French Admiral.
HOW Perrin ISLAND WAS WON

The interesting Story That 10 Ted BY
Q White House On the Fsrsshsrs o.
the Arabian cssst 1t The esuthsrn
eatranes - the RED esa. r
On the for~sh0re Of the Arabian
coast In the strait Of Babel Mxndeb.
at the southern entrance to the Red
ses. stands large white house con.
corning which the travellers to the far
'sast may hear .curious story. :. In the
middle Of the nineteenth century.
when n. do Lesseps after many din
culttes had successfully doated 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 ut once aroused as to the destina.
ton of so large a command. 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. 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 F'rcnchmen off their guard by
giving a succession of such entertain
ments 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 mystery to
the governor Of Alden as before. and
in spite of all possible delay the re-
pairs were nearly completed.
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-
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-el-Mandeb. would
be place of great strategic impor-
lance. over which. without doubt. it
miral to hoist the tricolor.
Secretly giving orders, therefore. for
a gunboat to Immediately embark a
detachment of soldiers and steal away
in the night for Perrin island. the gov
ernor then announced 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 Aden
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 occr-
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 ada
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
oahcu away W an uppuEeully unhUOWH
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 flying and 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
I'd hat overheard and then followed II |
himself into the sea-
Be this as 1t may. as Perrin was |
clearly already occupied by the Brit
sh. the only counter move which thu,
French could make was to take pos
esniQn Of a strip of the foreshore on
he 6pposite Ara bian coast, where
ney putt the fortified white house in
question, but as the place was entirely
I the mercy Of the guns on Perrin is
Ind + was shortly abandoned. to re-
1ain 70 this day as monument of a
'rcneh EadmiraIs MISUNDERSTANDING