Girard0476

18 February 1846 — Bishop Pierre Bataillon to Fr Jean-Claude Colin

Manuscript Description

Two sheets forming eight written pages. The annotation of Poupinel is on the eighth page; an annotation in an unknown hand appears at the top of the first page.

[Top of p.1, unknown hand]

18/2/46

[p.8, Poupinel]

Central Oceania – Wallis, 18 February 1846 – account of the acts of the administration of Monsignor Bataillon

Text

Brief account of the administration of the Vicariate of Central Oceania, of its past actions, its present state, its hopes and plans for the future, to which are attached several official documents, notably: “Pastoral instruction and mandate of the Bishop of Belley for Lent 1837,” “...1838,” “...1839,” “...1840,” “...1841,” “...1842,” “...1843,” “...1844,” “...1845.”

1° Past actions

[1]

On 1 December 1843, arrival of the Bucéphale, leaving three missionaries with their equipment and a set of equipment for the new bishop. It brought no food provisions, except a small quantity of supplies, of which Monsignor d’Amata took one portion for Futuna and another for New Caledonia, as well as all the objects he had brought for himself and the missionaries accompanying him, and a sum of about 15,000 francs.

Monsignor d’Enos received 30,000 francs by this vessel. He entrusted 10,000 to its captain to be deposited at Valparaíso in the hands of the Reverend Father Doumaire, who was asked to use it for the purchase of flour, biscuit, wine, ovens, which he would send at the first opportunity.

[2]

May 1844, arrival of the Adolphe with Father Calinon, etc. The vessel brought the printing press, tools, and hardware purchased by Bishop d’Amata, and only four sacks of flour. The portions for the various missions were made according to the number of missionaries, their neophytes, and the needs of the mission. That belonging to Bishop d’Amata was set aside and kept by Father Roudaire, to whom he himself had entrusted its care and custody.

Monsignor d’Enos chartered the Adolphe, which agreed to transport him to Futuna, Tonga, and Fiji. He did not intend to go to New Caledonia, having no food provisions to bring to Bishop d’Amata, and the captain refusing to consent to that voyage.

His Lordship found the fathers of Futuna and Tonga in a tolerable condition as regards lodging and food. He left Father Calinon in Tonga, himself intending to establish his residence there as soon as the state of Wallis would permit.

There arose there a question: whether it was advisable for missionaries to purchase from the natives the food and objects they might need. After hearing and discussing the arguments for and against, the Bishop left the fathers of Tonga entirely free in this matter.

He expressed great difficulties in his voyage to Fiji and left the fathers at Namouka only with their consent and at their request.

[3]

On 17 May 1845, arrival of the brig Elizabeth with Father Junillon. Receipt of a letter from France announcing that the procurator’s commissions had not yet been carried out, having only recently become known through the Bucéphale.

The Elizabeth brought supplies of flour, wine, printed cottons, blouses, and some axes. All these items had been taken at Valparaíso in consequence of the commission and funds entrusted earlier to Father Doumaire.

Father Junillon delivered about 12,000 francs. This was the first time that there was a means of relieving the missionaries. But the captain of the Elizabeth absolutely refused any service in this regard, whatever sum might be offered to him.

Father Junillon had left 20,000 francs at Valparaíso.

[4]

On 17 June 1845, arrival of the Rhin.

It had visited Tonga, where it left three sacks of flour and seven cases of wine, also from Valparaíso. It worked at Wallis on completing a small schooner which Monsignor had acquired, and left two sailors to man it.

It could not visit Fiji. Its instructions directed it toward New Caledonia. Passing through Futuna, it delivered wine, flour, clothing for the missionaries, and their share of the common goods that had arrived the previous month.

Father Roudaire was charged with loading aboard this vessel all the goods of Bishop d’Amata, which he had himself kept since their arrival at Wallis, from which he took some items for the mission of the Navigator Islands that he was about to found, and for the small schooner that was to transport him there, presuming thereby the intentions of His Lordship.

Monsignor d’Enos also took the liberty of retaining for some time a monstrance and a set of Stations of the Cross belonging to his coadjutor, and wrote to him, at the same time sending him a bill of 25,000 francs on Sydney, brought by Father Junillon.

The Rhin deposited in New Caledonia an ample supply of flour and wine from Valparaíso, as well as the goods embarked at Wallis. But the letter and the bill were lost on board; it was believed they had not been sent. It was only in Sydney that the commander found them and delivered them to Father Dubreuil.

[5]

On 14 August, Father Roudaire and others departed on the schooner, which had only been completed at that time, with provisions taken from what had been brought by Father Junillon and the Rhin.

Father Roudaire went to this mission (Samoa, the Navigator Islands) only by his own choice. Full and entire liberty had been left to him by Monsignor d’Enos to go to New Caledonia before the arrival of the Rhin and during its stay at Wallis, but he preferred of his own accord to sacrifice his personal attachments and devote himself to the urgent mission of the Navigators.

[6]

On 20 October 1845, the schooner, which had arrived eight days earlier from the Navigator Islands, set out again with Father Mathieu to visit the other missions.

He found Futuna in abundance, the missionaries perfectly housed and fed, and considering themselves happy in their situation.

From there he went to Fiji, where he found the fathers having suffered much from persecutions but having nevertheless been able to secure very suitable lodging. He left them flour, wine, salted meat, biscuit, clothing, church ornaments, fabrics, and numerous goods for the natives. The plantations of their catechists were beginning to bear fruit.

Father Roulleaux, who had suffered most from scarcity, refused to consider purchasing from the natives under any circumstances. Father Mathieu tried to moderate his zeal on this point.

At Tonga he found the missionaries suitably housed and fed, having not only the resources of the country but also plantations producing European vegetables such as potatoes, cabbages, carrots, turnips, and peas in good quantity and quality. They still had many provisions received from the Rhin.

He left them additional supplies and money (600–800 francs). Father Chevron, who had full liberty to purchase food from the natives, had not yet needed to do so, though he expected to in the future when travelling in areas without established missions.

Father Calinon left for Sydney shortly after the visit of the Rhin.

[7]

On 14 December 1845, arrival of the small schooner at Wallis. It was exchanged for another larger, more suitable and more solid vessel which Providence had brought there. Preparations were immediately made for its departure for Sydney with Father Junillon.

[8]

On 13 February 1846, arrival of Fathers Calinon and Dubreuil aboard a schooner chartered by them at Sydney. They had carried to New Caledonia a considerable consignment for Bishop d’Amata and found him and the missionaries in a very comfortable condition.

They also visited Tonga, where they left a large share of the supplies they brought.

At Wallis, part of these goods was set aside to be sent immediately to the Navigator Islands.

A sum of 5,000 francs was delivered by Father Dubreuil; 1,000 francs was sent to the Navigators.

2° Present state of the mission

Total funds placed at the disposal of Monsignor d’Enos: **47,000 francs**

Works completed:

• At Wallis: two large churches, two suitable presbyteries, a printing house which has already produced five works for the neophytes (two syllabaries, a prayer book, a catechism, and a Stations of the Cross).
• At Futuna: two churches and two presbyteries with gardens.
• At Tonga: two churches and a very suitable presbytery.
• At Fiji: a proper house with enclosure.

Additional:

• Mission visited twice in two years and supplied via Valparaíso.
• A schooner of 60 tons acquired and maintained for six months.
• No debts; about 6,000 francs remaining.

3° Plans and hopes for the future

[10]

1° Establishment of a college or house of catechists at Wallis, where a large tract of land is available.

[11]

2° The establishment of a house of the Society of Mary, of which it alone shall have the ownership and the direction.

The apostolic vicar regards this project as useful to the mission and capable of being carried out. He proposes to contribute to it with all his power and to procure for the Society a suitable piece of land for this purpose, and to ensure its possession as far as possible among these peoples.

The limits of a property cannot yet be traced in an exact manner in this country. It would even be to the disadvantage of the possessor if they were so traced. The plantations, according to the nature of the land and its produce, having to be moved, without this, from one place to another.

Strict contracts are not yet in use in the country and would be of a nature to arouse suspicions extremely disadvantageous to the one who would attempt to make them and to the whole mission. Mutual concessions are made ex aequis et bono.

There is no doubt that so long as religion reigns in the country the missionaries will in no way be disturbed in the possession of a piece of land which shall have been granted to them, with or without conditions.

The surest way to gain a footing among this people and to possess, in good harmony with them, a portion of land is to conform oneself to their usages in this matter. Time and the use of the acquired property will confirm ownership by a sort of prescription extremely strong and valid.

[12]

3° The regular visitation of all the missions at least once each year and frequent correspondence with the procure at Sydney and from there with France. Correspondence of such a nature as to improve the situation of the missionaries in every respect.

The visitation shall be carried out alternately by the apostolic vicar and the provincial or by one of their delegates.

[Author’s marginal note]

The mission schooner will be at Sydney every year in the month of December or thereabouts.

[13]

As for guaranteeing the missionaries, deposited for the first time in an island, against difficulties and privations, and assuring them immediately the ownership of a house and land, the Bishop thinks that this is entirely impossible and, generally speaking, impracticable.

He proposes to soften these first trials by all the means that will be in his power, leaving them provisions, clothing, objects of exchange, as much as he will be able to procure them and as they will have need of them, and to conciliate for them the protection and affection of the chiefs.

But he thinks that an immediate purchase of a house and land, or a strict agreement to provide food supplies, would, in most cases, by its mere proposal either prevent the establishment or at least hinder its later success, and that it would have no real beneficial effect, even for the material well-being of the missionaries.

Providence and sufferings have appeared to him up to the present the only open door by which to introduce the faith into the islands at first, and afterwards to form there durable and comfortable establishments.

Signature

Wallis, 18 February 1846

† Pierre Bataillon, Bishop of Enos

Apostolic Vicar of Central Oceania

Mathieu, Pro-Vicar