MECCA OF FRENCHMEN

Wairarapa Times-Age, 11 July 1940, Page 6

MECCA OF FRENCHMEN

NEW LIGHT ON LA PEROUSE. GRANT FROM THE FRENCH GOVERNMENT. It has been revealed by the Premier’s Ddbartmcnt that the French Government makes an annual grant of 1,000 francs (about £7) for the maintenance of the La Perouse monument on the northern headland of Botany Bay, writes G. A. King in the “Sydney Morning Herald.” La Perouse is the Mecca of the French colony in New South Wales, and of most Frenchmen who visit Sydney. It was there that the great French navigator camped during the call of his expedition to Botany Bay at the beginning of 1783, when Phillip was establishing his settlement at Sydney Cove. The monument to La Perouse, erected in 1825 by Baron de Bougainville, and the grave of Father Receveur, are in what was known as the “Frenchman’s Garden.” Although suggestions have been made at various times, notably in 1817. by Mr W. A. Holman, when he was Premier, that a part of the headland should be ceded to France as a gesture of goodwill, the proposal was never advanced beyond the suggestion stage.Although Mr Holman had a bill drafted to give effect to the proposal, the measure was not presented to Parliament. La Perouse, therefore, remains New South Wales territory. Men of a garrison unit, all soldiers of the Ist A.1.F.. at La Perouse, have paid a.graceful tribute to France, by planting flowers around the grave of Father Louis Receveur, the naturalist ana astronomer of the La Perouse expedition. Father Receveur was a Franciscan friar, and died while the French expedition was at Botany Bay. While the French ships, the Boussolc and Astrolabe, were at Mauna Island (now called Tutuila), Captain de Langle, commander of the Astrolabe, landed with a party, which was attacked by the natives. Captain de Langle and eleven others were killed, and twenty other officers and men were wounded. Father- Receveur was among the wounded, and died on February 17. 1788, being buried near the French camp at Botany Bay, not far from the La Perouse monument.