Guide to the Papers of Mme Robert Helois
MS 11
National Library of Australia View Catalogue Record
Collection Summary
- Creator
- Mme Robert Helois
- Title
- Papers of Mme Robert Helois
- Date Range
- 1696-1825
- Collection Number
- MS 11
- Extent
- 1.21 metres (4 boxes)
- Language of Materials
- English
- Repository
- National Library of Australia
Introduction
Scope and Contents
The collection includes journals of Ferdinand-Alphonse Hamelin (1796-1864) and Francois Alesnl de St. Allouarn kept on board Le Geographe and Le Naturaliste, papers concerning Nicolas Baudin's voyages (1800-1804), papers of Yves Joseph de Kerguelen - Tremarec and Francois de St Allouran's voyages (1771-1774) and letters of Philip Gidley King and Matthew Flinders' detention on Ile de France (1803-1810).
At the request of Professor Ernest Scott, who was acting on behalf of the Australian Government, in 1912 Mme. Helois transcribed documents relating to Australia which are held at the Archives of the Ministry of Marine in Paris andthe Museum of Natural History in Le Havre. She transcribed the papers, in longhand in French.
Conditions Governing Access
Please refer to the collection's catalogue record for the access conditions (http://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn2814045).
Conditions Governing Use
Copying and publishing of unpublished manuscript material is subject to copyright restrictions. For such material, written permission to publish must be obtained from the copyright holder(s). Copying of unpublished material for research purposes is permissible 50 years after the death of the creator of the material.
Preferred Citation
Items from this collection should be cited as '[Title or description of manuscript item], Papers of Mme Robert Helois, National Library of Australia, MS 11, [box number and series and/or file number]'.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Madame Robert Helois transcribed documents relating to Australia, held at the Archives of the Ministry of Marine in Paris and the Museum of Natural History in Le Havre, in Paris in 1912. She transcribed the papers, in longhandin French, at the request of Professor Ernest Scott who was acting on behalf of the Australian Government.
Item Descriptions
Journal of Francois de St Allouarn - 'Log of St Allouarn's voyage 1772' (File 1) - Box 1
On page 39 there is an account of the French taking possession of the Western Coast of Australia
Journal of Ensign Victor Couture of the ship Naturaliste (File 6) - Box 1
On page 46 there is a reference to the Vlamingh Plate on Dirk Hartog Island.
Journal of Ensign Etienne Giraud, kept on board the ship Naturaliste during the years 1797 and 1799 (File 7) - Box 2
On page 66 there is a reference to the Vlamingh Plate.
Journal of Captain Jacques F. E. Hamelin of the Naturaliste, 1800-1804 (File 8-12) - Box 2
On page 209 there is a reference to the Vlamingh Plate.
Journal of Ensign Jacques de Saint-Cricq (afterwards Lieutenant) on board the Naturaliste (File 13) - Box 2
On page 63 there is a reference to seeing the Vlamingh Plate and of placing beside it another recording the Naturaliste's expedition.
Journal of Ensign Jacques de Saint-Cricq (afterwards Lieutenant) (ship's journal) (File 14) - Box 2
There is a handwritten note (not by Mme Helois) stating 'Journal on board the Naturaliste not Cricq, probably Gautier'.
Nautical journal taken on board the Geographe (File 15-18) - Box 2, 3
During the expedition of discovery (commanded by the Captain of the vessel N. Baudin) by Francois Michel Ronsard, Officer of Engineers and Lieutenant of the vessel. [Note: Pages 429-430 missing. This is recorded on a typed page preceding the manuscript.]
Baudin, Nicolas, Captain. To the member of the National Institution, regarding the forthcoming expedition (Item 4)
Baudin, Nicolas, Captain. To the Minister of Marine. Correspondence regarding the proposed settlement at Frederick Hendrick Bay [missing] (Item 6)
Correspondence between C.P. Claret Fleurieu and the Minister of Marine regarding the expedition (Item 8)
Request from Musee d'Histoire Naturelle, 1794, support for expedition to the South Seas under Captain Baudin (Item 10)
Report: Lieutenant Pierre Millius (afterwards Captain) to Captain Emmanuel Hamelin of the Naturaliste. Captain Millius commanded the Geographe after the death of Captain Nicolas Baudin at the Ile de France,, 16 September 1803 (Item 11)
French exploration before La Perouse: papers of 1699 and translation of the log of Vlamingh's voyage to Amsterdam Island and New Holland (west coast, Swan River), 1696-1697 (File 20) - Box 3
Report on the West coast of New Holland, by Stanislas Le Villain, member of the Baudin Expedition - Rottnest Island, Geographe Bay, etc. (File 21) - Box 3
Contains an account of the Vlamingh Plate which replaced Dirk Hartog's plate (see p. 58-68).
Account by Rosily of Allouarn's voyage, 1772 (Item 3)
This account records that formal possession was taken of Western Australia (see p.9).
Proposal by Captain T.Y. Kerguelen for a colony in 'France Australie' (Kerguelen's Land), 1772 (Item 4)
Note the use of the word 'Australie' p.5
References made to Captain Cook's voyage; Instructions for Captain Kerguelen's second voyage (Item 6)
Maillard Dumesse, Superintendent of the Ile de France, regarding the expenses of the explorations (Item 7)
Letter by Captain T.Y. Kerguelen from the Cape of Good Hope, 18 May 1774 (Item 8)
Account of his second voyage.
Suppression of Captain Kerguelen's book Voyages dans les mer Australes et des Indes fait en 1771, 1772, 1773 et 1774, in one volume (Item 13)
Title on text: 'Relation des deux voyages dans les mers Austreales [sic] et des Indes fait en 1771, 1772, 1773 et 1774'.
Letter by Pierre Faure, geographer on board the Naturaliste, about Port Dalrymple, Isle Waterhouse and coastline, 1801 (Item 1)
Jacques de Saint Cricq and Charles Pierre Boullanger on the course of the vessel to Wilson's Promontory (Item 2)
Report by Louis Desaulses de Freycinet on part of the coast of Van Diemen's Land, south of the islands of Marie and Schoutan (Item 3)
Report by Pierre Faure on the Bay Frederick Hendricks on the chart of the voyage of M. D'Entrecasteaux (Item 5)
Description of coast of Van Diemen's Land, by Charles Pierre Boullanger and Jean Marie Mauouard (Item 7)
Report by Ensign Desire Breton on the search for water for the ships in the vicinity of Port Raffles (Item 9)
Observations on mineralogy and geology made at the Swan River by Charles Railly, mineralogist (Item 11)
Report by Stanislas Le Villain, zoologist, on the zoology of Rottnest Island and Swan River (Item 17)
Report by Charles Pierre Boullanger on the separation of the Casuarina to the north of Kangaroo Island (Item 19)
Report by Bonnefoi de Montbazin on the coast south west of New Holland to the north of the archipelago of the islands of St Pierre and St Francois (Item 23)
Letter by Captain Nicolas Baudin to Professor Jussieu, Director of the Museum, Paris, from the Ile de France (Item 25)
Letter from Captain Nicolas Baudin to the Minister of Marine and the Colonies, from the Ile de France, dated, August 1803 (Item 27)
Report by Ensign Jean Marie Maurouard on the expedition made along the coast of Van Diemen's Land by D.L. Boullanger and J.M. Maurouard (Item 31)
Report by Ensign Joseph Ransonnet of the expedition of the large canoe commanded by Ransonnet, which left 19 May and retuned 20 May, to the islands of St Pierre and St Francois (Item 32)
Report by Ensign Jacques de Saint Cricq on the expedition to the L'Ile de Dore and Shark Bay (Item 33)
Appointment of Captain Flinders to command H.M. Sloop Investigator Governor Philip Gidley King to John Sullivan, 9 May 1803 (Item 4)
Despatch on progress and wants of the Colony. Published in Historical Records of Australia, Volume 4, p. 244 et seq.
Governor Philip Gidley King to Lord Hobart, 9 May 1803 (Item 6)
Regarding the Commissariat department. Published v.4, p.221 et seq.
Governor King to Lord Hobart (Item 7)
Marine letter No. 3 - arrivals and departures of ships. Published v.4 p. 355 et seq
Governor King to Lord Hobart, 7 August 1803 (Item 8)
Letter No. 3 General. Published v.4 p. 307 et seq
Governor King to Lord Hobart, 7 August 1803 (Item 9)
[Separate A. with General Letter No. 3]. Published Vol. 4 p. 346 et seq
Governor King to Lord Hobart, 7 August 1803 (Item 10)
On the judicature of the Colony. Published Vol. 4 p. 350 et seq
Governor King to Secretary Sullivan, 7 August 1803 (Item 11)
General letter concerning the establishment of the settlement at Van Diemens Land. Published Vol. 4 p.366 et seq
Governor King to Lord Hobart, 7 August 1803 (Item 12)
Enclosing Naval Officers' returns. These are not published, or are they attached to the manuscript. Attached are the returns of employment in NSW, 7 August 1803. Covering letter published Vol, 4 p.346
Extract of the journal of Captain Flinders, commander of the schooner Cumberland arrived in the port N.O. of the Ile de France, 25 March 1803 (Item 14)
Letter from Major Dunienville to Charles De Caen (Item 15)
Regarding the seizure of the Cumberland and Captain Flinders
Letter from Major Dunienville to Charles De Caen (Item 16)
Regarding the silence of Captain Flinders.
Lieutenant of the vessel Ruault to Charles De Caen (Item 17)
Regarding the seizure of Captain Flinders and the Cumberland.
Captain Flinders to Charles De Caen, 22 December 1803 (Item 19)
Requesting leave to go back to his ship.
Captain Flinders to Charles De Caen, 23 December 1803 (Item 20)
Regarding his detention at the Ile de France
Captain Flinders to Charles De Caen, 25 December 1803 (Item 21)
Begs leave to write to the Admiralty and for the visit of a surgeon
Captain Flinders to Charles De Caen, 28 December 1803 (Item 23)
Requesting an answer to past correspondence; list of papers taken from him
Captain Flinders to Charles De Caen, 5 January 1804 (Item 25)
Reply and requesting the necessary books for the construction of his charts.
Captain Flinders to Charles De Caen, 12 February 1804 (Item 26)
Requesting his departure, that of his men and his papers, or that he may be sent to France.
Flinders to De Caen, 2 June 1804 (Item 28)
Resents the order to deliver up his sword and other arms.
Flinders to De Caen (Item 30)
Regarding his request to the captain of the ship Hunter for a passage.
Flinders to Governor King, 8 August 1804 (Item 31)
See note on letter Flinders to De Caen, 15 December 1803 regarding his detention at the Ile de France.
Flinders to De Caen, 22 December 1804 (Item 32)
Referring him to and comparing the treatment which Captain Baudin received at Port Jackson and that which he was receiving.
Letter from I. Lumsden to C. De Caen, 4 April 1805 (Item 33)
Regarding the release of Captain Flinders; also letter from Lumsden to Captain Flinders regarding his release and extract of letter to C. De Caen as enclosure
Letter Philip Gidley King to C. De Caen, 5 June 1805 (Item 34)
Regarding treatment of Captain Flinders as a spy at Mauritius. Published in Historical records of Australia, Vol. 5 p. 437
Letter from Pellew to De Caen, 24 January 1806 (Item 36)
Regarding prisoners of war taken in the brig La Felicite.
Letter from Flinders to De Caen, 9 March 1806 (Item 38)
Regarding his detention and the French authorities.
Extract from the Minutes of the Secretary of State, 11 March 1806 (Item 39)
Regarding Flinders' detention at the Ile de France.
Letter from Minister of Marine to De Caen, 21 March 1806 (Item 40)
Regarding the release of Captain Flinders.
Translation of a letter by Pellew to Captain Flinders, 18 June 1806 (Item 41)
Regarding Flinders' return to Europe.
Letter from Flinders to W. Beckmann, 15 April 1807 (Item 42)
Regarding his release from the Ile de France.
Letter from Pellew to De Caen, 19 June 1807 (Item 43)
Regarding the loss of two ships and the detention of Captain Flinders at the Ile de France.
Letter from Pellew to De Caen (Item 44)
Regarding the liberation of Flinders and requesting his embarkation.
Letter from De Caen to Admiral Pellew (Item 45)
Acknowledging despatches and those for Captain Flinders.
Military Department to De Caen, 3 December 1811 (Item 49)
Asking for particular regarding Captain Flinders' journal.
Letter from Duc de Feltre, Minister of War, to General De Caen, 18 June 1813 (Item 50)
Regarding his several letters relating to his services at the Ile de France.
Letter from Duc de Decrès to C. De Caen, 15 June 1815 (Item 51)
Again asking for the return of the last volumes of Captain Flinders' journal.