• Title
  Edmond de Boissieu notes and map concerning the navigation of the Torres Strait
• Creator
  Edmond de Boissieu
• Call number
  MLMSS 11683
  
• Level of description
  fonds
• Date
  
  approximately 1829-1832
• Type of material
  Textual Records, Manuscript Cartographic Materials
• Reference code
  9604434
• Physical Description
  0.01 metres of textual material (1 folder) - manuscript
  
• ADMINISTRATIVE/ BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY
  
  Edmond de Boissieu was a senior French officer on the Laplace expedition (1829-1832) which was sent to Australia and the Pacific to extend the results of the earlier voyage of Hyacinthe de Bougainville onboard the Thetis (1824-1826). The Laplace expedition led by Cyrille Pierre Laplace on board La Favorite was intended to capitalise on the science and mapping undertaken by Bougainville’s earlier voyage, and was a political exercise to demonstrate the French presence in the Pacific and secure economic opportunities. Laplace’s account of the voyage, 'Voyage autour du Monde par les Mers de l’Inde et de la Chine execute sur la corvette de l’etat La Favorite pendant les annees 1830, 1831 et 1832', was published by the French government in 1833.
  
  Boissieu was an experienced surveyor who had previously accompanied Bougainville. Under Laplace, he was the fifth highest ranked officer and was responsible for several important pieces of surveying during the voyage to Indo-China and Australia. He was one of only a few senior French officers to have visited Port Jackson twice, and stayed in Sydney with the Blaxland family at their estate on the Parramatta River in 1831, during the Laplace voyage.
  
  References:
  Library acquisition file.
  French explorers in the Pacific / by John Dunmore. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1965-69.
• Collection history
  Part of Edmond de Boissieu’s private papers held by the family until sold by a French dealer on behalf of a direct descendant now living near Rouen, France.
• Scope and Content
  A page of detailed notes in Boissieu's hand with the heading 'Note sur la navigation du Detroit de Torres. Extrait de l’atlas de Flinders', giving precise instructions relating to the passage through the Torres Strait, including directions, the location of little-recorded reefs, and other geographical coordinates.
  
  On the reverse of the sheet is an associated sketch map recording sea routes through the Great Barrier Reef and the Torres Strait between Cape York and New Guinea, known to be treacherous waters off the north coast of Australia. Boissieu charts an outer route around the reef to the Torres Strait, which is based on Matthew Flinders’ northerly passage. He also shows the southerly passage of Captain Cook through Providential Channel.
  
  The manuscript is written in ink on a folded sheet of laid paper (presumably French) with ‘GIL’ and a crest watermark with fleur-de-lis.
• Language
  French
• Copying Conditions
  Out of copyright:
  Please acknowledge:: Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales
• Subject
  Favorite (Corvette)
  Laplace, Cyrille Pierre Theodore, 1793-1875
  Flinders, Matthew, 1774-1814.
  Voyages and travels--19th century.
  Pacific Ocean--Discovery and exploration--French.
  
• Place
  Torres Strait
  
• Open Rosetta viewer
  IE20614291

View Media Files

1.

2.

Show more