Barrallier and Baudin.(Letters)

SIR: Robert Murray's article on "Sydney's Brush with Bonaparte" (January-February 2004) leaves out one important name in the list of relevant Australians.

The fortifications and defences for Sydney at that time were constructed by the French military engineer Francis Luis Barrallier (1773-1853), the son of a French naval engineer. After leaving France during the Reign of Terror, he was welcomed in England and sent out to New South Wales with Governor King, with the idea of becoming Deputy Surveyor General. He was instead appointed to the New South Wales Corps and became a military engineer and artillery officer. Besides creating Sydney's defences, he became prominent as an explorer. He helped survey the southern coast, preparing the way for Baudin and Flinders, and also found the way across the Blue Mountains and made a survey of Newcastle (Coal River).

French historical records make quite clear that the Baudin expedition was purely scientific and had no political aims. Peron was a civilian scientist with a revolutionary background and outlook. Louis de Freycinet was a junior officer. Neither had direct access to high officials in France, and neither had the confidence of Baudin, who they detested and whose work they sought to undo. When King confronted Baudin by showing the flag in the Bass Strait islands while Baudin was scientifically surveying them, Baudin defused the situation in a civilised and gentlemanly way. Baudin was somewhat bemused, for King had acted on idle gossip instead of sound intelligence.

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