REOCCUPATION 1857

The credit and foresight for the reoccupation of Perim in January 1857 can be attributed to Brigadier Coghlan, the Political Resident in Aden, as early as November 1855 when he put up a case for a lighthouse to be built on the island. The battles of the Crimean War, with the redoubt to the fore in defence, and artillery still firing cannon balls, were of very recent memory. In 1855 the Suez Canal was but a feasibility study, and a French one at that; steamships were almost exclusively warships or mail packets; and the Indian Mutiny was yet to come.

Coghlan had hoped to visit Perim to do a personal reconnaissance and survey but he took the opportunity of complaining that his plans had been ‘deranged’ by the withdrawal of the station steamer in which he had been about to travel there. He suggested that the interval until another opportunity presented itself could be well be employed by sounding out the views of Government. He finished his letter on rather a contentious note: he did not know who laid claim to Perim, although he presumed it to be Turkey. First thoughts in Bombay were favourable. The Government in Bombay took Coghlan’s advice and the first opinion to be sought was that of the naval Commander-in-Chief in India who took a long three and a half months to consider his response. When it came he was emphatic: he urged that if possible immediate possession be taken.

From a military point of view it was clear that whoever possessed Perim would have the key to the Red Sea and in the event of a ship canal being cut between Suez and Alexandria, the value of such an island to the interests of trade was very apparent and of the utmost importance to England and India. The building of a lighthouse would considerably lessen the difficulties of navigation. The admiral also mentioned that Perim was the best natural harbour in his command as it was almost landlocked and had a depth of water sufficient for large ships to anchor close to the shore. If Britain did not occupy the island another power surely would. He added a pertinent postscript to his letter which galvanised the Government into action: Since writing his letter he had heard that a French engineer was about to survey Perim and the islands in the Red Sea.

In August 1856 Coghlan sent a naval officer to Perim to make a reconnaissance. In his report on this Coghlan took the opportunity of introducing a new justification for taking the island: patrols from a small naval base on Perim would largely eliminate the extensive slave trade from eastern Africa and Zanzibar to ports in the Yemen.

One of the problem areas was who owned Perim. Did Turkey claim it? Was Murray’s possession of it in 1799 still valid? Coghlan thought it essential not to ask the Turks for it to be ceded to Britain as not only would such a request be an admission of the Sultan’s sovereignty over it, but the French influence at Constantinople might perhaps frustrate the scheme.

Coghlan then mentioned that with reference to the Admiral’s postscript an agent of a French firm trading with Mauritius had recently visited and surveyed Perim and that he did not hide the fact that he had recommended the French Government to occupy it. In addition a French shipping line would soon be starting a service between Suez and China and this might have a bearing on the agent’s visit. Coghlan had heard that the French frigate Sybille was due to visit Aden, ostensibly to take away the boats and stores of a wrecked steamer.

By early October Lord Elphinstone in Bombay had written a strongly worded memorandum that Perim must be occupied before the French did so; and if they did there was the danger that they might then turn the island into another Kronshtadt*. If the Suez canal was made it was not desirable that any foreign power should hold a Kronshtadt* in what was likely to become the great highway between Europe and India. If Perim was to be occupied by Britain it should be taken possession of without any reference to the Porte, or any other power.

Elphinstone’s memorandum was forwarded on to London and on 10 November instructions were sent to Bombay that ‘Brigadier Coghlan to be directed forthwith to take possession quietly of the Island of Perim.’ This order was passed on to Coghlan in a letter dated 17 December. Coghlan acknowledged receipt of these orders on 29 December confirming that the utmost secrecy would be observed and that no time would be lost in preparing the personnel and materiel for the task, so that the party could be despatched as soon as the schooner Mahi returned to Aden. The Mahi was the only Government vessel on the Aden station at that time, the sloop Elphinstone being away at Zanzibar. Coghlan took the opportunity of adding that it was scarcely necessary for him to point out that the lack of a station steamer at Aden was now more urgent than ever.

He also put in a request for a small water condenser for the detachment so that there would be a back-up in the event that normal supplies failed or were interrupted. Also on 29 December Coghlan issued written orders to Lieutenant Greig RE, the Assistant Executive Engineer in Aden and the officer selected by Coghlan to command the party occupying Perim. The orders included a clear mission statement as well as illustrating a willingness to delegate, something not always evident in this era. Greig was to reoccupy Perim with a view to erecting a lighthouse there; how he did it Coghlan ‘left to his zeal and discretion, in which he had perfect reliance’.

The Mahi did not return to Aden until 6 January 1857, but Greig’s detachment was not ready to leave for another week. The Mahi left Aden on the evening of 13 January and Perim was reoccupied the following day. Greig and the sappers were aboard the Mahi whilst the artificers and labourers were split between a number of buggalows that also carried stores. The non-military personnel had needed an inducement to go to Perim and since there were no shops there in which to buy provisions Greig on his own initiative offered them free rations. He also arranged to take an English sergeant as the presence of a second European was deemed most desirable.

The above was the sequence of events as to how Perim was occupied – not one might add as it is described in the long poem by ‘Aliph Cheem’ entitled ‘Perfide Albion’ which describes how the French sloop had to put in at Aden to repair storm damage before it could proceed on to Perim, the crew being wined and dined to delay their departure to allow the British to get there before them.

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* Kronshtadt. This was a strongly fortified small island on the sea approach to St Petersburg, which came to prominence during the Crimean War.