Terre Napoleon | Page 2

believed to be quite
new, relates to the representation of Port Phillip on the Terre Napoleon
maps. It is a curious fact that, much as has been written on the early
history of Australia, no writer, so far as the author is aware, has
observed the marked conflict of evidence between Captain Baudin and
his own officers as to that port having been seen by their discovery
ships, and as to how the representation of it on the French maps got
there. Inasmuch as Port Phillip is the most important harbour in the
territory which was called Terre Napoleon, the matter is peculiarly
interesting. Yet, although the author has consulted more than a score of
volumes in which the expedition is mentioned, or its work dealt with at
some length, not one of the writers has pointed out this sharp
contradiction in testimony, still less attempted to account for it. It is to
be feared that in the writing of Australian, as of much other history,
there has been on the part of authors a considerable amount of "taking
in each other's washing."
The table of comparative chronology is designed to enable the reader to
see at a glance the dates of the occurrences described in the book, side
by side with those of important events in the world at large. It is always
an advantage, when studying a particular piece of history, to have in
mind other happenings of real consequence pertaining to the period
under review. Such a table should remind us of what Freeman spoke of
as the "unity and indivisibility of history," if it does no more.

CONTENTS.
INTRODUCTION.
A continent with a record of unruffled peace. Causes of this variation
from the usual course of history. English and French colonisation
during the Napoleonic wars. The height of the Napoleonic empire and
the entire loss of the French colonies. The British colonial situation
during the same period. The colony at Port Jackson in 1800. Its
defencelessness. The French squadron in the Indian Ocean.
Rear-Admiral Linois. The audacious exploit of Commodore Dance, and
Napoleon's direction to "take Port Jackson" in 1810.
CHAPTER 1.
FLINDERS AND THE INVESTIGATOR.
The Investigator at Kangaroo Island. Thoroughness of Flinders' work.
His aims and methods. His explorations; the theory of a Strait through
Australia. Completion of the map of the continents. A direct succession
of great navigators: Cook, Bligh, Flinders, and Franklin. What Flinders
learnt in the school of Cook: comparison between the healthy condition
of his crew and the scurvy-stricken company on the French vessels.
CHAPTER 2.
THE AFFAIR OF ENCOUNTER BAY.
Meeting of the Investigator and Le Geographe in Encounter Bay.
Flinders cautious. Interview of the two captains. Peron's evidence. The
chart of Bass Strait. Second interview: Baudin inquisitive. Baudin's
account of his explorations.
CHAPTER 3.
PORT PHILLIP.
Conflict of evidence between Baudin, Peron, and Freycinet as to

whether the French ships had sighted Port Phillip. Baudin's statement
corroborated by documents. Examination of Freycinet's statement. The
impossibility of doing what Peron and Freycinet asserted was done.
CHAPTER 4.
TERRE NAPOLEON AND ITS NOMENCLATURE.
Imprisonment of Flinders in Mauritius. The French atlas of 1807. The
French charts and the names upon them. Hurried publication. The
allegation that Peron acted under pressure. Freycinet's explanations. His
failure to meet the gravest charge. Extent of the actual discoveries of
Baudin, and nature of the country discovered. The French names in
current use on the so-called Terre Napoleon coasts. Difficulty of
identifying features to which Baudin applied names. Freycinet's
perplexities. The new atlas of 1817.
CHAPTER 5.
DID THE FRENCH USE FLINDERS' CHARTS?
Assertions commonly made as to French plagiarism of Flinders' charts.
Lack of evidence to support the charges. General Decaen and his career.
The facts as to Flinders' charts. The sealed trunks. The third log-book
and its contents; detention of it by Decaen, and the reasons for his
conduct. Restoration of Flinders' papers, except the log-book and
despatches. Do Freycinet's charts show evidence of the use of Flinders'
material? How did the French obtain their chart of Port Phillip? Peron's
report to Decaen as to British intentions in the Pacific and Indian
Oceans, and the effect on his mind. Liberation of Flinders. Capture of
Mauritius by the British. English naval officers and the governor. Later
career of Decaen.
CHAPTER 6.
THE MOTIVES OF BONAPARTE.

Did Bonaparte desire to establish French colonial dominions in
Australia? The case stated.
CHAPTER 7.
GENESIS OF BAUDIN'S EXPEDITION.
Baudin's one of a series of French expeditions. The building up of the
map of Australia. Early map-makers. Terra Australis. Dutch navigators.
Emmerie Mollineux's map. Tasman and Dampier. The Petites Lettres
of Maupertuis. De Brosses and his Histoire des Navigations aux Terres
Australes. French voyages that originated from it. Bougainville;
Marion-Dufresne; La Perouse; Bruni Dentrecasteaux. Voyages
subsequent to Baudin's. The object of the