5io THE DISCOVERY OF AUSTRALIA 



would divide New Holland into two large and almost 

 equal islands." What danger that Flinders' discoveries 

 would be discovered before Flinders arrived and dis- 

 covered by the French enemy ! 



and And, though the confidential instructions of the Minister 



patriotic. of Marine to Baudin declared that " the sole object " of 

 the voyage was " the perfecting of scientific knowledge," 

 it was very possible that it would also have other results. 

 For French men of science were French patriots, and, 

 anxious as they were to enlarge scientific knowledge, 

 they were far more anxious to enlarge French dominions. 

 When Peron, the brilliant man of science who sailed with 

 Baudin, was being courteously entertained at Sydney, 

 he made scientific studies that were careful and interesting ; 

 but, if we would know what he thought about with keenest 

 interest during those Sydney days, we should read, not 

 his scientific studies, but the explanation in his " Report 

 on Port Jackson " of " the project of destroying this 

 freshly-set trap of a great Power." l And though, as 

 Professor Scott has abundantly proved, it was not Napoleon 

 but the Institute of France who proposed Baudin's voyage, 

 it was to Napoleon that the proposal was made, and it 

 was Napoleon who approved it ; Napoleon, who was be- 

 coming " weary of this old Europe," whose thoughts 

 were growing less continental and more Oceanic, who 



1 Scott's Flinders, p. 464. Peron writes : " My opinion, and that of all 

 those among us who have been particularly occupied with the organization 

 of that colony, would be that we should destroy it as soon as possible. To-day 

 we can do that easily ; we shall not be able to do it in a few years to come." 

 He adds that Lieutenant de Freycinet " has particularly occupied 

 himself with examining at all points in the coast in the neighbourhood 

 of Port Jackson that are favourable for the debarkation of troops." 

 Freycinet's conclusion was that " the conquest of Port Jackson would 

 be very easy to accomplish, since the English have neglected every 

 species of means of defence." Napoleon, no doubt, had Freycinet's 

 statements in mind when in 1810 he ordered the equipment of a squadron 

 to " take the English colony of Port Jackson where considerable 

 resources will be found." Baudin himself warned the French Minister 

 of Marine " that the Colony of Port Jackson ought to engage the atten- 

 tion of this government. ... It seems to me that policy demands that 

 by some means the preparations they are making for the future, which 

 foreshadows great projects, ought to be balanced." See very interesting 

 documents in Scott's Flinders. 



