L’Astrolabe Dans La Passe Des Fran…

Famous image showing Dumont d’Urville sailing the French corvette Astrolable, into Cook’s Strait, New Zealand. After two unsuccessful attempts, he managed to sail the ship on 28th January 1827 through the narrow gap and named the channel, ‘Passe de Francais’.

D’Urville had sailed from Port Jackson on 19.12.26 and sighted the south coast of New Zealand on 10^th January 1827 near the site of present day Greymouth. Although his instructions were to carry out a little charting in Cook Strait, D’Urville’s plan was much more ambitious – he was to chart at least half of the coast of New Zealand, thereby providing a clear challenge to the supposition that Cook’s survey had placed the islands firmly in the British Domain. He charted the islands during January to March of 1827 from just south of Cape Foulwind (west coast of the South Island), past Farewell Spit, into Golden and Tasman Bays, through Cook Strait, and up the east coast of the North Island of New Zealand, from its southernmost to its northernmost point.

From Voyage de la Corvette Astrolabe Execute par Ordre du Roi pendant les annees 1826-1827-1828-1829, sours le Commandement.

Collections:
National Library of Australia: Bib ID 2684451