Carte generale pour servir au voyage de la fregate la Thetis et de la corvette l’Esperance execute en 1824, 1825 & 1826 sous les ordres de Mr. le Baron de Bougainville Capitaine de vaisseau

Map of the world showing the tracks of the voyage under the command of Cyrille Pierre Théodore Laplace (1793-1875) and his successful circumnavigation of the globe in the corvette, La Favourite and the frigate, L’Artemise.

Laplace’s voyage resulted in the opening of French trade in the Pacific. In May 1829 Laplace was appointed commander of the ship La Favorite, to make a journey around the world for scientific and commercial purposes. He departed from Toulon, followed the coast lines of Africa past the Cape Good Hope and visited Pondichéry, Madras and Surabaya. He explored the coasts of Cochinchina and Tonkin and set sail to the Philippines and after that Australia, Tasmania and New Zealand. He crossed the Pacific on his return to Toulon, past Valparaiso, Cape Horn and the coasts of Brazil. On 20 April 1832 he touched ground in Toulon again. The journey was a considerable success and added many important details to the scientific knowledge of the areas explored.

On 30 December 1829, Laplace departed Toulon with a crew of 177 aboard La Favorite. Laplace reached Gibraltar in one week, and then set sail for Gorée, where he spent a week. The ship then made its way south, crossing the Equator on the 4 February, and sighting the Cape of Good Hope on 6 March. On 1 May 1830, Laplace sailed towards India and arrived at Pondicherry on 9 June. From India Laplace headed for Singapore arriving on 17 August. After travelling via Macao, Laplace arrived in Canton , with the intent of discussing the difficulties of French traders with the Chinese authorities. Laplace managed to secure France as the most favoured nation of China. Setting sail on 18 December, Laplace arrived at Tourane, on 21 December where he was met with hostility, as the authorities were suspicious of his intentions in the area. Laplace set sail for Hobart via Indonesia, and sighted Mewstone on 6 July. Two more men were buried on Bruny Island, before La Favorite was allowed to anchor at Hobart on 11 July. Laplace left Hobart on 7 August, and set sail for Sydney, arriving on 16 August staying until 21 September 1831.

Laplace then headed to New Zealand, and anchored in the Bay of Islands on 2 October for a shory stay and headed to Valparaíso, arriving on 14 November. He continued south past Cape Horn and reached Rio de Janeiro on 23 January 1832. Laplace finally set sail for France arrived in Toulon harbour on 21 April.

From; Laplace, C. Voyage autour du monde par les mers de l’Inde et de Chine . exécuté sur la corvette de l’état La Favorite pendant les années 1830, 1831 et 1832. Paris.