Port Breton (failed colony)

Papua New Guinea / East New Britain / Kokopo /
 abandoned / shut down, colony / nagar - neighbourhood (Indian Subcontinent)
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Former colony of Charles-Marie-Bonnaventure de Breuil, Marquis de Reys (1832-1893). Through deceptive advertising, he inveigled 340 Italian colonists from Veneto to pay him 1800 francs in gold, or indenture themselves for 5 years labour, in order to settle in "New France" in southern New Ireland. Nothing was a promised (no new houses, no thriving colony, no roads, public buildings or arable land), while malaria and starvation were rampant. About 100 settlers died of disease and malnutrition before the remainder fled in the almost derelict ship they came in to Noumea. Eventually they were offered refuge in Australia.
Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_Rays_Expedition#Settlement_in_Port_Breton
Nearby cities:
Coordinates:   4°49'24"S   152°52'45"E

Comments

  • In Wikipedia article, 'De Rays Expedition', Port Breton, real or imagined, is located 'near present day Kavieng', at the northern extremity of New Ireland. The Wikimapia map shows Port Breton at the opposite end of New Ireland near the southern extremity. Where was Port Breton supposed to be?
  • Port Breton was located near the Southern extremity of New Ireland in a very mountainous inhospitable area, to this day there are no roads into the area where Port Breton was located. The closest Town to the old Port Breton today is Kokopo, and the remains of the eruption damaged Rabaul, in East New Britain. Andy Fletcher
  • My Great Grandparents were on one of the vessels that travelled to Australia from Port Breton. My Great Great Grandfather lost his life during the voyage as did two of my Great Grandparents children. A shocking and cowardly act by a money hungry despot.
  • My great grandmother came on the 4th boat when she was 12 months old, her parents died in port Breton i believe and she came to Sydney as an orphan
This article was last modified 16 years ago