CAB7-4 — Page 186

Appendix No. 4,

ADEN.

158

The fact is, the bay, town, and peninsula are so situated that they cannot be sepa- rated in any consideration of defence; and their defence is covered only by the entire

scheme.

C. H. NUGENT, Colonel, R.E., and

D.D.W., Fortifications.

(Signed)

November 14, 1880.

(Signed)

T. L. GALLWEY, Inspector-General

of Fortifications.

December 28, 1880.

Page 186

PERIM

No. 53.

Page 186

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War Office Memorandum on the Defence of Perim.

TO its situation in the Straits of Bab-el-Mandeb, and to its secure and capacious harbour, the Island of Perim owes whatever importance it may possess as a dependency of the Crown.

It is a small island, distant about 14 and 10 miles from the nearest Arabian and African coasts respectively. Its length is about 3 miles, average breadth 14 miles, and greatest elevation, near the south-east end, 214 feet. The subsoil is sandy, with a slight admixture of earth, more or less saturated with salt, resting for the most part upon a coral conglomerate; but, although of volcanic origin, there are outcrops of schist, shale, and limestone, remnants of the original strata before the volcanic action arose.

The general surface of the island is covered with loose boulders and sharp stones, among which grow a coarse grass and a few stunted shrubs. Previous to 1874 little had been done in forming roads; since that date some small progress has been made in that way by utilizing the labour of the native detachment quartered there.

Good building stone is to be found, and, owing to the abundance of coral, lime can be burnt in any quantity, but, for want of fuel, is costly. No fresh water, food, fuel, or other supplies, which combine to form the necessities of life, are furnished by the island itself; everything has to be imported (except drinking water, which is condensed locally), fresh water of an inferior quality being brought from Arabia or Africa, according to the state of the monsoon.

The south-west side of the old volcanic crater, which forms the harbour, has given way for a length of about half a mile. This gap forms the entrance thereto. The harbour is well protected from nearly all winds, has an area of 400 acres, 200 acres of which are 5 fathoms and upwards deep, and it is divided into two main branches, a northern and a north-easterly.

A headland, on which are the remains of an old fort, projects into the latter branch, and subdivides it into two bays, Fisherman's and James'; on the shore of the former of which are situated the Government condenser, tanks, &c.

On the south-west side of the harbour is a long, low, and narrow spit of land, which gradually widens, and rises to a height of about 30 feet near its extremity, termed Pirie Point. The spit at its narrowest point is not more than 30 yards wide at high water; on its inner side it possesses great natural facilities for the formation of a good landing quay. There are one or two good landing-places round the island-notably, that at Shelter Bay, where there is a good anchorage and gravelly beach, also a long stretch of sandy beach on the north side, called Turtle Reach.

On a hill-top, 209 feet in height, to the east of Fisherman's Bay, was constructed, in 1857, a defensible barrack, called "the Fort.” It contains quarters for the garrison (a Subaltern-Commandant, doctor, and 50 men detached from the native infantry regiment at Aden), a tank for 15,000 gallons of water, and the lighthouse.

The population of the island, which consists exclusively of Government employés and their families, is under 200 in number. Three months' provisions are maintained for them. The climate is healthy.

The suitability of Perim for a coaling-station has been contrasted with that of Aden (from which place it is distant about 100 miles), by Sir W. Jervois, who clearly showed the comparative inferiority of Perim for such a purpose.

Of what Imperial value, then, it may be asked, is this inhospitable islet, seeing that in Aden Great Britain already possesses, at a distance of about eight hours' steam, a convenient and adequate harbour of refuge and coaling-station, possessing ample facilities for defence?

The reply which at once suggests itself is, that Great Britain cannot afford to see it in the hands of any of the Great Powers, which would be the case if she did not hold it; for (Sir W. Jervois) "Some European nations are now (ie., since the opening of the Suez Canal) especially desirous of possessing a coaling-station near the mouth of the Red Sea ;" and shortly before its second occupation by the British, in 1857, the island, then unin- habited, was surveyed by a French engineer.

It may be urged that so long as Great Britain is supreme at sea, an island so entirely dependent upon external support could not long hold out against her; but, carefully for- tified, well victualled and stored, and having no population other than that engaged in its defence, it might, and probably would, hold out during the first all-important months of warfare, thus, either severing the shortest communications between Great Britain and her

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