HD3:010

Duc de Dalmatie to Colin, Attorney General of NZ Missions, Paris, 16 Dec 1839

Translated by Miss M Lindsay 1986

HD3/10

Paris, 16 December 1839

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Cabinet. Confidential

To Mr Colin, Attorney General of New Zealand Missions

Sir

I have received and read with a rather keen interest, the details you give me in your letter of 20 November last concerning the missions which your congregation supports in Western Oceania and about which His Grace, the Archbishop of Amasie had already done me the honour of writing to me. I desire greatly that in future you will place me in a position to have the worthy Ecclesiastics share in the support from the King’s government, as they devote themselves with such great dedication to this new apostolate and to that end, that you send me the correspondence which you must frequently receive from it, the information which I will draw therefrom being, in certain circumstances, of great use to them, and serving at the same time the interests of the Faith as those of the natives whom these ecclesiastics went to convert.

Today an opportunity has arisen to enter new Islands of Western Oceania – an expedition is on the point of departing to South New Zealand . The story ship, Corvette L’Aube, commanded by Captain Lavaud, is being fitted out at Brest and must put to sail very shortly for this destination. I have the honour of proposing to you, Sir, that two of your missionaries join it, that you will have them leave immediately for Brest where they will embark aboard the ship I have just named. Should you want even to add to them, as assistance, two laymen, they will also be received. It must be understood that these two missionaries will be provided with your orders, which will instruct them, among other things, to conform to everything which the King’s representative deems appropriate to the maintenance and enforcement of law and order and to the administration of establishments which will be formed in the South New Zealand . If you consider it fitting, you will send me all or part of these instructions, of which I will notify the King’s representative so that he can have your missionaries command the most marked protection.

You will be able to take advantage of the departure of these missionaries to write to Monsignor Pompallier who is already established in the north of New Zealand , and who has achieved such remarkable success there. You will think it appropriate, I believe, to invite him to contact the King’s representative in the establishments of New Zealand , in the North Island, and who will, for his part, have orders to render every good service to this venerable ecclesiastic which he might have to demand of him. As soon as you have made your selection, be so kind as to inform me and give me the day fixed for the departure of the missionaries and the precise time of arrival at Brest, where they will probably find the corvette L’Aube ready to put to sail and awaiting only them.

Yours faithfully

Mr Duc de Damatie