Mediterranean Sea factors. The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 created the first salt-water passage between the Mediterranean and Red Sea. The Red Sea is higher than the Eastern Mediterranean, so the canal serves as a tidal strait that pours Red Sea water into the Mediterranean. The Bitter Lakes, which are hyper-saline natural lakes that form part of the canal, blocked the migration of Red Sea species into the Mediterranean for many decades, but as the salinity of the lakes gradually equalised with that of the Red Sea, the barrier to migration was removed, and plants and animals from the Red
Red Sea Station Station until 1883 when it became part of the Mediterranean Station. In 1914 the station then became a sub-command of the Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean Fleet until 1918. Following world war one it was reabsorbed back within the East Indies Command until 20 October 1941. On 21 October 1941 a change in naval command happened when Mediterranean Command was extended to include the Red Sea and Aden which was previously under the control of the Commander-in-Chief, East Indies Station. The Eastern extent of this change was extended to include the Gulf Aden. The Red Sea Division of the Red Sea Station was