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These islands are an archipelego of some 184 islands scattered between to the east of India and and west of Burma. The islands were actually claimed by Denmark and Austria in the eighteenth century as Europeans scrambled for influence amongst the rich sea routes around India and the Spice Islands. The British made their first presence during the Napoleonic Wars with the establishment of Port Cornwallis. However, with the end of the war, the British abandoned the colony. Although the Danes had not completely given up on their claims and tried to reannex them in 1845. However, this was short lived and the rights were soon signed over to the British.
The Andamans found their true purpose with the Indian Mutiny. Suddenly, a group of isolated islands off the main coast of India would provide a natural holding area for any mutineers that were captured. Two months later, the British took possession of three islands in and around Port Blair and Captain H. Man, Executive Engineer, hoisted the Union Jack flag. In March, J.P. Walker, an experienced jail superintendent, arrived in Port Blair with four European officials, an Indian overseer, 2 doctors, 50 naval guards and 773 inmates.
Indeed, the archipelego's principal role for the next century was basically as a convenient penal colony for so-called "hard-core elements". This role was confirmed with the construction of the huge cellular jail in 1896 which had 698 cells specifically designed to maximise isolation of its inmates.
The arrival of the Japanese in 1942 put an end to the penal settlement but not of controversy. The governor, Charles Waterfall, was himself arrested by the Japanese and his deputy, Major Bird, was beheaded by the Japanese at a clock tower in Aberdeen, Port Blair. The Government House then became the residence of the Japanese admiral for the next three years. It was during this period that Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose (an Indian nationalist who collaborated with the Japanese) raised his national tri-colour at the top of the Government House - proclaiming an independence of sorts - although the brutality of the Japanese won them few converts amongst the locals.
The prisons were not reopened when they islands were reconquered in 1945. Two years later India achieved its independence.
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