On Sept. 4, 1774, Captain James Cook discovered New Caledonia, which he named because the mountains in the Balade area where he anchored, reminded him of Scotland. Eighteen years later, Frenchman Bruni d'Entrecasteaux, while searching for the missing navigator La Perouse, stopped at Balade and the Isle of Pines.
The Loyalty Islands were explored in 1827 by Dumont d'Urville, who mapped the archipelago in 1840.
The first settlers were English missionaries and, in 1843, the French missionaries settled at Balade where, on September 24th 1853, Commodore Auguste Pevrter des Pointes, took official possession of New Caledonia by order of Napolean III.
In 1862, Admiral Guillian became Governor and established a penal settlement for convicts and political prisoners. In 1957, New Caledonia became a French Overseas Territory.
PHOQUE (steam aviso) 1860. French Navy. Unknown yard, Nantes, France.
375 tons. 320hp steam engine. The PHOQUE was a steam aviso built in Nantes in 1859, launched in 1860. Retired on July 9th 1886. Lieut. Edmond Esprit de Bevis was her commander. Left side of stamp.
Source for all." Article in Watercraft Philately (JanlFeb2004) by Jean-Louis Araignon.
New Caledonia 2003
Also written up under LE PHOQUE (Please see this as Watercraft appear to have made a mistake)
http://www.shipstamps.co.uk/forum/viewt ... oque#p7840