Yves Joseph de Kerguelen de Trémarec

A talented sailor

Not having fortune, it embarks at 16 years as midshipman in the royal Navy after studies in a college of Jesuits. At the time of an assignment with Dunkirk, he marries in 1758 Marie-Laurence de Bonte. His/her father-in-law, former burgomaster of Dunkirk arms the Sage , a ship of 56 guns and 450 men of crew, the race during the Guerre Seven Year old. Kerguelen takes the command in of it 1761 to lead a campaign to the the Antilles, which will appear very profitable.

Lieutenant in 1763, it takes hydrographic readings in Brittany, which determines its admission with the Académie of navy as an member-assistant.

In 1767, it obtains the command of Insane the to carry out a protection campaign of the fishermen of Morue in Iceland. In 1768, it sets out again in the North Atlantic (Greenland and Bergen) with the corvette the Swallow and becomes familiar with navigation in the cold seas. It brings back in 1768 two white bear cubs for the menagerie of the king Louis XV.

The first forwarding

" I went to Versailles at September 1770, to propose with Mr. the duke of Praslin, Minister for the Navy, the plan of a campaign of discovered in the antarctic seas. I live that it étoit not the moment to undertake similar operations. (...) The businesses being arranged with the court of England, (...) the occasion became favorable to propose the voyage of discovery. (...) One gave me the command of the vessel of the King the Berrier , which étoit with the East. (...) I embarked 14 month of vivres for 300 men of crew. (...) The first day of May [[1771]], I put at the veil. (...) I cut the line on June 10th by twenty-two degrees of Western longitude of the Méridien of Paris, from which I will always be useful myself (...) I arrived at the Isle de France on August 20th. "

At the time of its stopover to the island of France, it is well accommodated by the governor of the Rocks and the intendant Poivre. It also meets there Commerson, Marion-Dufresne, and the young person Lapérouse. It replaces there its large vessel against the flute Fortune and the Gabarre the Large Belly , two lighter ships, adapted better to the object of its mission. February 12th 1772, in the south of the Indian Ocean, it sees a ground where it believes to see the southern Continent, and the name of southern France gives him. They are in fact the islands Kerguelen. The heavy weather prevents any unloading, day until February 14th when an ensign can unload and take possession of the territory in the name of the king.

The storm separates the ships, and Kerguelen carries on its road only, giving up " large Ventre". It arrives at Brest on July 16th 1772, while the second ship awaits it and seeks it vainly. This one will continue the stopovers in the order announced, under appalling conditions, towards Timor and the Australian coasts before regaining the Ile de France on September 5th. In spite of this adventure, Lapérouse says to us that Kerguelen was accepted in France like a new Christophe Colomb . In Versailles, it makes to the king a very optimistic description of the resources of the grounds which it had discovered, convainquant the king to order the one second forwarding. It does not know yet only the " Large Ventre" reappeared, nor that testimonys of the survivors go against his.

The second forwarding

March 26th 1773, little before learning survival from the sailors from the " Large Ventre" , leave Brest the vessel Roland (417 men), armed in flute with 36 guns (instead of 64 guns) and the frigate the Oiseau , armed with 26 guns (instead of 36 guns). Forwarding included/understood the engineer-manufacturer Marrier of Gâtinerie, the astronomers Mr. Of Marsais and Paute Dagelet, a doctor naturalist, a draftsman, like three women, of which Louise Seguin, an young girl embarked of night right before the departure. Kerguelen had the weakness to take on board this clandestine, girl 14 years old, who will create, according to the terms of the council of war, " a competition prejudicial with the good of the service, by deteriorating the harmony which must reign in a vessel and by weakening even the respect due to the authority ". At the Ile de France, the friends of Kerguelen were replaced and the reception is cold. According to the royal instructions, the authorities of the island assign to' forwarding small a senau, the Dauphine . Forwarding must face the storm and the men are affected Scorbut. In December, one notes the dull reality of southern France: Kerguelen still does not unload there, its subordinates discover a severe landscape, not terrestrial flora nor of fauna. Three years later, James Cook will call these grounds “islands of Desolation”, then islands Kerguelen .

Difficulties of the return

Of return in France, the officers of the edge put forward their objections: the clandestine loading of Louise Seguin, a personal enrichment by traffic of shoddy goods; but one reproaches him especially the interruption of his voyage and the advantageous description which the weather had been uninhabitable of grounds, this in order to promote forwarding.

Kerguelen is translated into Conseil of war and is condemned to six years of fortress and the radiation of the state of the officers of the king. He is imprisoned with the castle of Saumur, whose governor, Dupetit-Thouars, are the father of the future hero of Aboukir.

Last adventures

He is released in 1778, reinstates the Navy and sets out again to make to the war of race on the corvette the Countess of Brionne .

He adopts the Révolution, he is made Rear-admiral. Stopped in 1794, it is released, finds its rank and takes part in the Bataille of Groix on June 16th 1795. It is put at the retirement in 1796. Kerguelen dies the following year, in Paris, at the 63 years age.

See too

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