Anne-Gabrielle Thompson - 'New France, the free colony of Charles Marie Bonaventure du Breil, Marquis de Rays : a dream or a fraud'. Thesis 1974, together with research papers, 1879-1889, 1973-1974

MLMSS 6900

fonds

1879-1889, 1973-1974

403194

Microfilm : CY 4436, frames 1-207 (MLMSS 6900/1: Thesis, 1974).
Microfilm : CY 4436, frames 208-472 (MLMSS 6900/2: Associated research papers).

1 box - 0.13 Meters
Textual Records
Textual Records - (photocopy)
Textual Records - (typescript)
Textual Records - (printed)

In 1877 Charles du Breil advertised to the French public his scheme to establish a colony in the south-west Pacific, to be known as 'New France'. The proposed colony was to cover several islands, with the initial settlement to be made on the south-west coast of New Ireland at Port Praslin, which, renamed Port Breton, would become the centre of the colony.
Capital was raised by subscription and the first contingent of colonists sailed for New Ireland. On their arrival in early 1880 it was immediately apparent that the site, chosen unseen by Du Breil, was unsuitable for settlement. Ill-prepared, the settlers struggled for survival with many succumbing to disease and starvation before they were evacuated. This fate would be shared by the three subsequent expeditions to New Ireland until the colony was abandoned in 1882. Many of the surviving colonists settled in Australia; a contingent of Italians from the third expedition settled in northern NSW at 'New Italy'.
Du Briel and his associates in the 'New France' scheme were arrested in 1882 - the charges included embezzlement and homicidal negligence; they were convicted and imprisoned in 1884.

Thesis, University of Queensland, 1974; together with research papers, which include copies of original letters, journal extracts, and other documents, 1879-1889; letters, 1973-1974, received from Jack Andrews, grandson of "New France" colonist Aguste Pitoy, and Charles Ebert; reports from Paris Research Associates, 1974; notes, 1973-1974

English, French

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Preservatiom microfilm copy made, Dec. 2004.