Louis Berthoud Chronometer No 35 made for Baudin’s exploration of Australia

Captain Nicolas Baudin (1754-1803) was a French explorer, naturalist, cartographer and hydrographer. After a long career exploring the world, he embarked on his most famous voyage to map the coast of Australia in 1801 and mapped the western and southern coast encountering Matthew Flinders during the voyage as well as discovering more than 2,500 new species. After completing his voyage, he stopped in Mauritius on the way home to France where he died of tuberculosis. His legacy remains have three animals named after him and eight monuments in his name in Australia.

This marine chronometer was constructed by the famous French horologer Louis Berthoud in 1798 and was delivered to the Ministry of Marine in 1799 who issued it to Baudin on 8th August 1800. Baudin carried four chronometers on the historic voyage and makes frequent reference to using Chronometer No 35 to correct longtitude and recording such use on his many charts. His famous chart of Encounter Bay where he met Matthew Flinders includes the comment, “The course plotted is that of the corvette according to the reckoning, corrected by the daily rate of chronometer No 35”. Louis de Freycinet, captain of the schooner CASUARINA, on the Baudin voyage, also refers to the use of Chronometer No 35 for correcting his charts drawn on the voyage.

Three of the four chronometers from the expedition survive with No 31 in the collection of the Musee de la Marine in Paris. No 38 is in a private collection and the fate of No 37 is unknown.