Jules Dumont d'Urville
1790 - 1842
Rear Admiral Jules Sébastien César Dumont d'Urville was a French explorer and naval officer who explored the South and Western Pacific, Australia, New Zealand and Antarctica.
He was born on 23 May 1790, enlisted in the navy at the age of 17 and, following the completion of his studies at the Naval Academy at Brest in 1808 was initially confined to land-based duties. He undertook his first short navigation of the Mediterranean Sea in 1814, after Napoleon Bonaparte had been defeated and exiled to Elba.
Despite having failed to obtain entry into the École Polytechnique (the foremost school of engineering in France) in his youth, d'Urville had, nevertheless, always maintained an interest in all things scientific. In 1819 he sailed aboard the CHEVRETTE, under the command of Captain Gauttier-Duparc, to carry out a hydrographic survey of the islands of the Greek archipelago. It was during this voyage that d'Urville played a major part in helping France to acquire for the Louvre Museum the now world famous Venus de Milo statue. This achievement alone earned him the title of Chevalier (knight), the Legion of Honour, the attention of the French Academy of Sciences and promotion to lieutenant.
In August 1822 d'Urville set sail onboard the COQUILLE (this time as second in command). It was a joint exploratory venture between him and his friend/Captain, Louis Isidore Duperrey that was aimed at helping to reclaim France's place in the Pacific after the Napoleonic Wars. In March 1825, the COQUILLE brought back to France thousands of floral and faunal specimens. Despite having behaved like a competent officer, d'Urville had neglected his health and his hygiene as well as having shown very little inclination to socialise during the voyage. On the return to France, Duperrey was promoted to commander, while d'Urville was promoted to a lower rank.
D'Urville's next venture would be one he commanded himself. Two months after his return he presented the Naval Ministry with his plan for a new expedition which would see him returning to the Pacific. It was approved and on 25 April 1826, the COQUILLE (renamed the ASTROLABE) departed Toulon to circumnavigate the world on a voyage that would last nealy three years.
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