Oct 1st  Arrived & anchored in Las Goria – found  No 2 dhow here. She was reprovisioned for 14 days. 10.30 weighed & proceeded

2nd Arrived and anchored in outer harbour at 7 am. Austrian man-o-war arrived. At 6 pm we weighed & left Aden under “out lights”

3rd  At 7 am arrived & anchored at Perim. HMS Harrier here. No1 dhow here. She came alongside & was reprovisioned. Left at 2pm taking No 1 dhow in tow. Slipped dhow at 3pm. We proceeded slowly along the coast keeping a good look out for gunrunners. 5.30 anchored off “Ras Al Ara” in Arabia. Sent armed boats crews away to search dhows. Great difficulty experienced. Crews afterwards went ashore & searched under searchlights. 9pm weighed & proceeded.

4th  At 4am arrived and anchored in Aden. Coaled ship 350 tons.

5th  Sundays. Cleaned ship & 10.30am. HMS Pomone arrived here direct from Bombay. This being her first trip with new crew. She was sent here to relieve us of our duties as Senior Naval Officer Aden Division. She had our orders for Bombay.

6th  Hands painting ship. “Mayo” left with troops for Berbera

7th  Painting ship. Ship’s company went to a smoking concert at RA’s canteen, at the Ras invitation. Enjoyable evening spent.

8th   No 11 transport SS Malta arrived. She had on board 1000 Rifle Brigade from Durban. We told her Admiralty orders were that she was to disembark troops at Suez. At 5pm No1 dhow came into harbour. She came alongside & was paid off.

9th Party from Pomone came on board for passage to No 2 dhow to take place of our men. We left Aden at 12 noon for Berbera. Passed Japanese battleships.

10th  Arrtived at Las Goshora 9am. Boarded dhows, heard that our dhow had left 2 days ago. Run torpedoes and fired cannon tube. Sighted our dhow at 6 pm at anchor off Somaliland (Thalion). Paid her off and recommisioned her with Pomone’s bluejackets. At 8.30 pm we proceeded .

11th  Fired Cannon tube. Started an 8hrs ful speed trial. Result satisfactory. Done 16 hrs ¾ speed, steam trial satisfactory. We were now bound for Bombay. Experienced very heavy weather during trip, shipping very heavy seas. Full monsoon blowing.

18th At 4am we sighted Bombay and by 7am we were moored up in the harbour. “Fox” here SNO. USA warship Isoda de Jolia here. She formerly belonged to Spain, was captured by America during the war. Fox’s ships company living in Royal Alfred’s Sailors Home.

19th  Church service held on board HMS Tenerassem

20th  Hands employed in enlightening ship by emptying magazines & shell rooms, preparing to go into dock. We received orders to dock in Meryweather’s dock on Wednesday & do all urgent repairs only, as our services were needed elsewhere

21st  Marines landed for exercise

22nd  12.45 pm slipped buoy & proceeded up harbour & entered Merryweather’s basin to await our turn of docking. SS Ionian lying next to us with a regiment of Highlanders on board from the Cape.

23rd  Dry dock emptied & at 5 pm Perseus proceeded into dry dock.

24th  Dock drained. Ship shored up. Hands employed about ship.

25th Hands employed refitting ship working dockyard hours. Altered pitch of propellers to give slight increase of speed 

Sun 26th Doeby aid hands employed to get ship ready for leaving. Heavy rainstorm.

27th  Hands employed refitting. Portuguese gunboat “Mandori" in steam waiting to dock.

28th  Flooded dock. 8am left dock & entered stream. Made fast to No 6 buoy. Took in ammunition. Portuguese gunboat entered dock.

29th  Hands employed about ship & stowing magazines, guns being examined.

30th  Drew stores from RIM Dockyard

31st  P&o’s Persia arrived with mails. Provisioning ship & drawing stores. Prepare for coaling.

1st  RIMS Clive arrived at 8am. Coaled ship 415 tons

2nd Sun  Carried out Sats. routine. Cleaning ship. Capt. Read out vote of thanks from Imperial Parliament. To Navy, Army Volunteers & Colonies for services performed during the South African War. Received letter from Capt. Cardew in Col Swayne’s name, thanking men of Perseus for work performed in assisting in the arduous and tedious duties on the Somali coast.

3rd  Hands employed fitting

4th  Commenced painting ship

5th  RIMS Hardinge arrived from Aden, record trip 4 days 4 hours. Transport Syria left. Battalion landed for drill on the Oval under Lieut. Fox.

6th  Transports Cratava, Sandon & Montrose arrived from S.A. with troops. Hands painting ship.

7th   P&O’s Peninsular arrived with English Mails. Persia left with homeward mails.


No of knots travelled & coaled consumed from March 1901 till our ending Sept 1902

No Knots travelled
26,963.27 Knots
Coal consumed
5,495 Tons

9th Sunday Church Service held. Ships companies of Fox & Perseus to be ready for landing for active service,.

10th Battalions landed for route march at 5am. Returned at 7.45 am to dress ship today being King’s birthday. 12 noon ships saluted the King 31 guns.


11th  Portuguese gunboat Mandera left. Hands painting mess deck.

12th  Memo from Admiral received stating that men of Perseus were to be got ready to go anywhere & to practice long marching. Transport Plassey left. Battalion landed with Fox’s & went to Malabar Hill & back. Arrived on board 9.30 am. General leave to one watch. 21 hrs. RIMS Clive & Canning left.

13th  General leave to other watch.

14th  P&O’s Caledonia arrived with mails. Silver balls presented to ship by Passees of Bombay. Received bad news from Somaliland, Several Officers who we all knew well being killed. SS Oratava left.

17th  Battalion landed for route marching. At 4 pm. Rajah of Cochin & staff came on board ship visiting. Shown round ship by Capt. On his departure, fired salute of 17 guns.

18th  Marines landed for drill.

19th  Battalion exercised on the Oval. Volunteers consisting of 1 P.O & 1 A.B. required for manning Somali Protectorate Dhows. SS Syria left.

20th  Batallion landed with full marching order, blankets, water & ammunition, & Maxim gun detachment, were inspected by Capt. Pelham of Fox. Expect to leave shortly for Berbera.

21st  Work as requested. 2nd lefts Gun class under instruction.

22nd  Sat. P&O Arabia arrived with mail. Sats routine.

23rd  Sunday. Divine Service held.

24th  Battalion landed for route march. Evolution, out stream anchor.

25th  Marines landed for drill.

26th  Battalion landed for drill. Evolution out kedge anchor.

27th  Usual routine.

28th  P&O Egypt arrived with mails. Lord Kitchener on board. The ship was full of people bound for Delhi, Durban salute of 17 guns. Urania arrived with troops. HMS Lapwing arrived from Persian Gulf.

29th  Fox left dock and moored in stream. At 11 am we slipped the buoy & left Bombay & shaped course for Aden. Speed 15 knots.

2nd   Seaman told off for stokehold steam trial, speed 20 knots. Clock bought by money presented by HRH Ras Makonnen placed in mess deck.

3rd  Fired Cannon Tube. Fired half Quarters ammunition. Sighted Aden.

4th  Arrived in Aden 5am. HMS Highflyer flying flag of Rear Admiral Drury here. HMS Naiad temporarily attached to this station from the Straits & HMS Pmone also here, also RIMS Mayo. We saluted Commander in chief with 13 guns, which was returned with 7 from Highflyer. Prepared for coaling. HMS Naiad ordered to Berbera she left at 12 pm.

5th  Coaled ship 350 tons. Italian cruiser “Piamonte” arrived & saluted British Admiral. German Consul & General Commanding Aden forces came aboard here. Leave given.

6th  HMS Naiad arrived 3 am from Berbera. Cleaning ship. Italian cruiser left.

7th Sundays routine. Divine service aboard Naiad. Admiral inspecting HMS Pomone. Mail arrives.

8th  Evolution out bower anchor, also boats crews pulled round fleet. Concert held aboard Highflyer, all ships invited.

9th  Admirals inspection of ship. Rig No6 & Admiral & staff came onboard at 9 am. Open list away lifeboats crew. Went to General Quarters & fired tube cannon. Fire Quarters was next. Then evolution abandon ship. Then a few men mustered bags & hammocks. Admiral left at noon for lunch. During afternoon all boats of fleet went sailing. Prepared for sea. Watch man & arm ship 8 pm.

10th  Small arm companies of all ships landed with flagship’s band during forenoon. Read out Admirals report of inspection. Admiral very pleased with smartness & appearance of ship. Raised steam for 10 knots.

11th  Left Aden at 7.30 am in single line. Ships forming fleet being “Highflyer”, “Naiad”, “Perseus” & “Pomone”. Exercised steam tactics & manoeuvres. All ships dropped Tube Targets. Ships steaming circular and firing at each others targets. At 11am Naiad which is fitted with wireless telegraph got into communication with HMS Good Hope which was bound for the Cape with Mr Chamberlain on board. Perseus ordered to proceed and take “Good Hope’s” mails. Perseus met Good Hope, which ship was flying Rear Admiral Fawkes flag & salutes were exchanged. “Perseus” received the cot case from Good Hope for passage to Aden hospital. Ships then parted company proceeding to Zanzibar. Perseus rejoined squadron & carried out half Quarters firing. Left squadron & proceeded & took cot case to Aden. Arrived Aden 5pm. Naiad & Highflyer came in. Pomone to Berbera.

Dec 12th   Man & arm boats, usual routine.

13th  Sat  HMS Speedy arrived. Highflyer’s whaler beaten by Naiad,  3  mile course. Prepared for sea & left Aden 11pm for Berbera

14th  Sunday, arrived Berbera 11am. Troops in tents all along beach. Pomone arrived noon & left  for Aden 6pm.

15th  Diving party. Party landed for pistol practice. Run torpedoes. Seigning party during evening.

16th  Work as usual. Prepare for sea & left at 9 pm with dispatches from Gen. Manning.

17th   General Qrts. Tube Cannon, fired torpedoes, arrived Aden 5 pm. Naiad & Pomone here. Naiad S.O.

18th   Usual routine. Pomone left at 4 pm. In leaving she grounded but floated without any assistance.

19th  General Quarters. Italian cruiser Puglia arrived. Prepared for sea. Italian Gunboat “Capera” arrived.

20th  HMS Pomone with Gen Mannering arrived. Our raising steam cancelled. Pomone took in coal. 16 seamen from Perseus, Naiad left for Berbera.

21st  Sunday. Ships dressed. 16 seamen went to Pomone. Which ship then left with two lighters in tow containing stores for Somali forces. She lost one of them just outside here. HMS Renown arrived with the Duke & Duchess of Conaught on board anchored outside. Duke & staff landed & visited Wells. Renown left during night.

22nd  HMS Harrier left, surveyed cable. Italian warship left.

24th  HMS Naiad arrived and commenced coaling at once taking on board upper deck cargo. Perseus coaled ship during afternoon, 120 tons. Left at 5.30 pm.

25th  Xmas day. Anchored off Hais 6am. & left at 7 am. All sorry that we were not having a very good Xmas, but times would allow no better. 1 pm. sighted Pomone’s dhow, she came alongside & was paid off. Pomone seamen staying aboard Perseus were now dispatched to assist to land the war stores. A party unloading lighter brought by Pomone. Weather very bad, big surf inshore. Boats returned at 7pm. Party working on Haidare couldn’t get off.

31st  Cutters left ship at at 5.30 am, sea very bad. Boats getting knocked about a great deal. Boats compelled to return at 10.30 through weather. No fresh provisions obtainable.