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Why did the British first survey the Andaman Islands in 1789?
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Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Andaman redwood trees in the Cinque Islands, south of Rutland Island, in the southern Andamans, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India.
The British first surveyed the Andaman Islands in 1789 specifically to identify a suitable location to establish a penal colony for offenders from British India.1
While the islands were situated on an ancient trade route and had been visited by various travelers throughout history, this 1789 survey—conducted by Lieutenant Archibald Blair of the East India Company’s navy—was driven by the administrative need to manage prisoners. A colony was subsequently established in 1790, though it was abandoned after only a few years. The British did not return to establish a permanent penal settlement at Port Blair until 1858, following the Indian Mutiny.21