Bougainville, LOUIS ANTOINE DE

Bougainville, LOUIS ANTOINE DE, navigator, was born at Paris, 11th November 1729, studied there, and attained great proficiency both in languages and science. In 1755 he went as secretary of the French embassy to London. In 1756 he acted as Montcalm's aide-de-camp in Canada, where he served with distinction, as also in the campaign of 1761 in Germany. After the peace he entered the naval service, in which he soon signalled himself. He undertook a voyage round the world (1766-69) with a frigate and a St Malo transport, the first voyage round the world which the French ever accomplished. He gave an account of it in his Description d'un Voyage autour du Monde (1771-72). Geography and other branches of science were enriched by it with many discoveries. In the North American war Bougainville commanded several ships of the line, and in 1779 was made chef d'escadre; in the following year he was made a field-marshal in the army. After the outbreak of the Revolution he retired from public service, and devoted himself entirely to scientific pursuits. By Napoleon I. he was made a senator, count of the empire, and member of the Legion of Honour. After him are named one of the Solomon Islands, a strait in the New Hebrides, and a bay on the north side of the Strait of Magellan. He died 31st August 1811.