Some Basic Facts

The duration of the voyages undertaken by vessels of the East India Company to reach islands located east of Madagascar in a direct line, was not among the shortest: It took an average of four months to reach the Ile de France or the Ile Bourbon and about two week less to return. As for vessels wishing to reach India, four possible routes were recognized to reach the destination, with a duration of six months. Four China, two additional months were required.

The first route consisted of following the Mozambique Channel and sailing by the islands of Mayotte and Anjouan. Another route called for navigating east of Madagascar and then swinging up toward India. It was also possible to head toward the island of Rodrigo which was used as a checkpoint before selecting the desired destination. Finally, the main route headed east of all the islands located east of Madagascar to call at St-Paul and Amsterdam before swinging north. Of course, other routes existed for those wishing to head directly to the Malabar coast or to Sumatra, or even to the coast of China.

Most departures take place in the spring, and less frequently in the summer or fall, because of the prevailing wind directions as they were known and appreciated at the time. As for the return voyage, vessels departing from the Malabar coast left between December and mid-January, with the total round trip adding up to about eighteen months.

The goods exported to the Orient were very diverse: foodstuffs (olives, almonds, raisins, anchovies, capers, figs, dry sausage, etc.), manufactured products (furniture, wooden clogs and slippers, lamps, mirrors, pots, bed sheets and velvet, bunting, forged iron, clockwork, etc.).

The original copy of the Boullongne's launching documents have been entirely preserved and constitute a precious source of information. Launched in 1758, her first voyage began in 1759, but she was immediately a victim of the Seven-Year War since her career came to an end when she was captured in 1761, while the Comte d'Estaing was aboard.