The Voyage and Sea Routes

Chapter 4 focuses on the voyage and sea routes that figured in France’s Europe trade with China. A knowledge not only of ship handling but also of wind systems was essential to a vessel’s safe arrival at her destination; so was the ability to deal with navigational hazards at a time when many regions remained to be accurately charted. The timing and duration of a voyage were also affected by the number of ports of call, the length of stay at each, and the route taken. Mariners were guided by sailing instructions such as d’Après de Mannevillette’s Neptune oriental, which described routes, winds, currents, navigational hazards, landmarks, port entrances, and more. While the majority of ships sailed via the Cape of Good Hope, the French also made use of routes via Cape Horn, both in the years 1706–1717, when they combined trade at Canton with that of supplying Spanish colonies on the Pacific coast of South America, and in the nineteenth century. Closer to China, the increasing use of alternative routes freed vessels from restrictions imposed by monsoons in the South China Sea, enabling ships to arrive year-round and ultimately lessening the control of Chinese authorities over international trade.