Terre Napoleon

Terre Napoleon

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Title: Terre Napoleon A history of French explorations and projects in
Australia
Author: Ernest Scott
Release Date: February, 2005 [EBook #7450] [Yes, we are more than

one year ahead of schedule] [This file was first posted on May 2, 2003]
Edition: 10
Language: English
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*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TERRE
NAPOLEON ***

Produced by Sue Asscher and Col Choat

TERRE NAPOLEON.
A HISTORY OF FRENCH EXPLORATIONS AND PROJECTS IN
AUSTRALIA
BY
ERNEST SCOTT.
WITH EIGHT ILLUSTRATIONS AND MAPS.
SECOND EDITION.
METHUEN & CO., LTD. 36 ESSEX STREET W.C. LONDON.
FIRST PUBLISHED JULY 7TH, 1910. SECOND EDITION 1911.

PREFACE.
The main object of this book is to exhibit the facts relative to the
expedition despatched to Australia by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1800 to
1804, and to consider certain opinions which have been for many years

current regarding its purpose.
Until about five years ago the writer accepted without doubt the
conclusions presented by leading authorities. One has to do that in
regard to the vast mass of historical material, because, obviously,
however much disposed one may be to form one's opinions on tested
facts apart from the writings of historians, several lifetimes would not
be sufficient for a man to inquire for himself as to the truth of a bare
fraction of the conclusions with which research is concerned.
But it so happened that the writer was interested, for other reasons than
those disclosed in the following pages, in ascertaining exactly what was
done by the expedition commanded by Captain Nicolas Baudin on the
coasts which were labelled Terre Napoleon. On scrutinising the facts
somewhat narrowly, he was surprised to find that opinions accepted
with unquestioning faith began to crumble away for lack of evidence to
support them.
So much is stated by way of showing that the book has not been written
to prove a conclusion formulated a priori, but with a sincere desire that
the truth about the matter should be known. We read much in modern
books devoted to the era of the Corsican about "the Napoleonic
legend." There seems to be, just here, a little sporadic Napoleonic
legend, to which vitality has been given from quarters whence have
come some heavy blows at the larger one.
The plan adopted has been, after a preliminary sketch of the colonial
situation of Great Britain and France in the period under review, to
bring upon the scene--the Terre Napoleon coasts--the discovery ship
Investigator, despatched by the British Government at about the same
time as Napoleon's vessels were engaged upon their task, and to
describe the meeting of the two captains, Flinders and Baudin, in
Encounter Bay. Next, the coasts denominated Terre Napoleon are
traversed, and an estimate is made of the original work done by Baudin,
and of the serious omissions for which he was to blame. A second part
of the subject is then entered upon. The origin of the expedition is
traced, and the ships are carefully followed throughout their voyage,
with a view to elicit whether there was, as alleged, a political purpose

apart from the scientific work for which the enterprise was undertaken
at the instance of the Institute of France.
The two main points which the book handles are: (1) whether
Napoleon's object was to acquire territory in Australia and to found "a
second fatherland" for the French there; and (2) whether it is true, as so
often asserted, that the French plagiarised Flinders' charts for the
purpose of constructing their own. On both these points conclusions are
reached which are at variance with those commonly presented; but the
evidence is placed before the reader with sufficient amplitude to enable
him to arrive at a fair opinion on the facts, which, the author believes,
are faithfully stated.
A third point of some importance, and which is