Perim Island
MISCELLANEOUS SHIPPING INFO
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Foreign Steamers Calling at Perim
In the early years of there being a coaling station very few foreign steamers called at Perim. For example the figures for 1888-89 (which include warships, colliers and local steamers) show that only 33 out of 513 vessels were not flying the Red Ensign. Of these, 12 were French, nine were German and 7 Italian. None were Dutch. The ratio of British to foreign would soon change.
In 1896-97 some 90 out of 185 foreign vessels were Dutch and in the following year they were in the majority for the first time. It is perhaps not surprising that Holland appointed a Vice Consul on Perim (rather than at Aden, where few Dutch ships called).
The peak of Dutch involvement was in the three financial years astride the turn of the Century, when vessels numbered 98, 99 and 98. Presumably most, if not all, these ships were on their way to or from the Dutch East Indies. Some were relatively fast cargo liners, making about five round voyages each year; others would have been slower cargo vessels making perhaps four trips annually. If each ship called at Perim on the way out and on the return voyage this would mean no more than about 10 different Dutch steamships were involved.
The Boxer Rebellion in China had a significant effect on the number of German ships calling at Perim: from 13 in 1899-1900 the number increased to 23 the following year. But the biggest increase was in the number of Russian vessels, mainly transports taking Russian volunteers to China. The increase was from 11 Russian ships in 1899-1900 to 32 the following year; in 1901-02 there were 35 but in 1902-03 the number of Russian steamers had dropped back to 11. The Russians were not the only nation whose troopships or military transports called at Perim in 1900 and 1901 – in fact Russia only accounted for half of the 48 in each of these two years. Compare these figures with a total of seven troopships or transports in 1904-05 and five in the following year.
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Government Steamers
For many years a Government Steamer of the Royal Indian Marine was usually stationed at Aden, doubling up as Station Ship when no warship of the Royal Navy was stationed at Aden. It was the most suitable vessel to be used for the routine two-monthly relief of the military detachment on Perim. Apart from these six round trips a Government Steamer would usually make about three further visits each year. There would have been no reason for these ships to coal at Perim.
Colliers and Local Steamers
Unfortunately these two disparate categories of ships were grouped together in shipping returns. Between 80 and 100 vessels in this category came to Perim annually. For much of the period around 1900 one of Cowasjee Dinshaw’s steamers on the charter run from Aden to British Somaliland called at Perim every eight days or so on their outward journey; these accounted for around half the total. The capacity of colliers varied; if the average was around 1,500 tons this would need about 30 collier-loads a year to replenish coal stocks.
Warships
In a normal year about 15 warships of all nations, including Royal Navy vessels, would call at Perim. In a few years the number was at least double, 1897-98 (30), 1900-01 (33) and 1904-05 (39) all due to problems elsewhere (Sudan, China and Japan/Russia). In 1907 the prospect of a European war was already looming and this is reflected in the 33 RN vessels which called at Perim in the year ending 31st March 1907.
Reasons Other Than for Coaling for Steamers to Call at Perim
Each year a number of steamers, perhaps 20-30, called at Perim for reasons other than to take on coal. Some of the reasons were:
To telegraph or to receive orders
To land cargo
To tranship cargo or to reload following stranding
For repairs
For water and ice
