History Perim

perim shown on portuguese map



the ottoman fleet protecting shipping in gulf of aden

the straits of bab-el-mandeb witness earliest migrations of modern humans out of africa 60,000 years ago. @ time oceans lower because water frozen in ice age glaciers , straits shallower or dry.

despite sheltered natural harbour , strategic location @ entrance of red sea, perim largely bypassed written history until middle of 19th century, in part because bare, waterless island not sustain life. result, fishermen , pearl divers lived there seasonally, building reed huts material brought elsewhere.

in 1513, albuquerque, part of portuguese bid seize control of trade routes red sea , persian gulf, attacked aden near entrance red sea failed capture fortified city. having failed in main objective, nonetheless sailed red sea. red sea pilots of days lived on island close perim , 1 secured sending forward decoy indian-built ship. passage of first portuguese ship through bab-el-mandeb occasion ceremony. after having spent time @ island of kamaran in preparation attack on jeddah not carried out due contrary winds, fleet left kamaran on return journey. perim, albuquerque named vera cruz, inspected , pronounced unfit fortress due lack of water.

during following years, portuguese tried several more times conquer aden , gain mastery of red sea, harassing shipping , battling egyptian mamluk, ottoman navies, gradually gained upper hand. these actions sending of annual fleet blockade bab-el-mandeb , prevent indian merchant ships entering red sea involved frequent use of perim’s natural harbour. time ottomans captured aden local ruler in 1538, red sea fast becoming turkish lake. ottoman fleet remained in firm control of red sea, bab-el-mandeb , aden until 1630s when turks expelled yemen , south half of red sea.

a french naval squadron may have used perim s natural harbor in course of punitive expedition against nearby mocha in 1737. in 1799, island briefly occupied british east india company in preparation invasion of egypt.

perim under british rule

perim , aden



steamers being coaled @ perim circa 1910



the perim hotel, bar, billiard room , other amenities, @ center of perim s meager social life

in 1856, seeing in french-sponsored suez canal project devious trick promote french power @ britain’s expense, prime minister palmerston agreed occupation of perim 1 of many options counter assumed french political , military ambitions in egypt , red sea. in december 1856, lord elphinstone, governor of bombay, wrote resident of aden on subject of perim, [..] have been directed occupy island, , intention of majesty s government lighthouse should built there. added since island had been taken possession of in name of east india company in 1799, considered part of dependencies of india, , therefore no formalities of kind necessary. resident proceeded organize small landing party peaceful occupation of uninhabited island. actual decision occupy might have been precipitated unfounded report french, said have been surveying area time, had dispatched frigate réunion annex island. declared reason occupation, however, urgent need erect lighthouse @ entrance of notoriously dangerous bab el mandeb , indeed, after bickering location , other factors, 11-meter high lighthouse built , inaugurated on 1 april 1861. important light did not prevent treacherous waters around perim continuing claim many vessels.

perim attached aden, dependency of bombay presidency, british india. next 2 decades, sign of british occupation lighthouse , small detachment aden garrison. otherwise, barren waterless island left few fishermen , somali herders went there. occasional proposals aden coaling company open branch on island did not materialize.

while aden had fine natural harbour, became effective starting in mid-19th century iron , steel ships of greater draught being built. starting in 1860s, many of larger steamers had stay off aden harbour, making process of coaling , taking in provisions both time-consuming , hazardous. deficiency not overcome until dredging , re-dredging projects began in earnest in 1890s.

naval repair facility c. 1900

in 1881, complete outsider, hinton spalding of london, granted permission start coaling station on perim, inner harbour accommodate vessels of draught. backing of number of large ship-owners, launched perim coal company (pcc) , on 29 august 1883 first steamer coaled in perim harbour. marked beginning of struggle between aden , perim red sea coaling business waged 2 ports until mid-1930s.

perim island , lighthouse in 1880s



passengers ashore while ship being refuelled

during 50 years, perim entirely geared coaling: harbour, roads , coolie accommodations laid out purpose , no other interests or activities allowed hinder coaling. perim’s lack of water, no more drawback @ aden: both ports supplied water condensers ships since aden water, delivered out of town, considered brackish purpose. before long pcc able grab lion’s share of salvage business due being near dangerous waters in area.

between 1923 , 1927 more coal being loaded @ perim @ aden. however, perim’s decline came fast due failure grab share of fast-growing oil fuel business cornered aden coal-burning steamers being retired. pcc went bankrupt in 1935 , perim slipped insignificance.

during first world war, turks in arabia sent force threaten aden , british communications along red sea. included assault on perim on june 14 , 15 of 1915 when turks landed on north coast of island. driven off detachment of 23rd sikh pioneers garrisoned on island under command of captain a.g.c. hutchinson. troops on mainland facing island subsequently pushed troops aden supported royal navy , end of year threat island of perim had been removed.

british withdrawal , aftermath

the british presence continued until 1967 when island became part of people s republic of south yemen. before handover, british government had put forward before united nations proposal island internationalised way ensure continued security of passage , navigation in bab-el-mandeb, refused.

soon after independence in november 1967, south yemen extended territorial waters 12 miles, include waters between perim , mainland. despite fears expressed british government , others, there no interference international shipping, until 1971 when new radical marxist government of people’s democratic republic of yemen (pdry) allowed group of pflp guerillas attack israel-bound tanker in bab-el-mandeb perim. during october war, south yemeni artillery on perim, along egyptian naval units, imposed undeclared blockade @ southern entrance of red sea. however, after 1973 blockade, there no further cases of interference international shipping. pdry established close political , military ties soviet union resulted in soviet naval forces gaining access former british naval base @ aden islands of perim , socotra. strong soviet military presence faded rapidly after 1986 military coup in south yemen , advent of perestroika under mikhail gorbachev.