Christophe André Jean de Chabrol de Crouzol (1771-1836) - Vicomte de Castelbajac - Deux lettres manuscrites du Ministère de la Marine et des Colonies. - 1827-1883

Two handwritten letters from the Ministry of the Navy and Colonies, separated by more than half a century, 1827 and 1883. The first is especially interesting because it concerns directly Martinique, a ship, tonnage duties, and colonial administration. The attribution of the 1827 minister to Christophe de Chabrol de Crouzol is consistent with the BnF archives, which also preserve his correspondence on paper headed by the Ministry of the Navy and Colonies.
Two original administrative letters handwritten, drafted in Paris on official paper of the Ministry of the Navy and Colonies / Directorate of Colonies,
Format 21 cm × 29 cm, constituting two testimonies of the French maritime and colonial administration in the 19th century.
1. Letter of March 6, 1827 – Martinique Christophe de Chabrol de Crouzol
Letter dated at the head “Paris the 6 March 1827,” emanating from the Ministry of the Navy and Colonies – Directorate of Colonies – Bureau of Finances and Provisions.
It is addressed to Monsieur the Viscount of Castelbajac, State Councillor, Director General of Customs.
The text explicitly refers to a previous letter from the recipient, dated February 15, 1827, no. 652.
The minister deals with a question of maritime duties collected in Martinique. He indicates that the chancellor of the French embassy in Constantinople had demanded in 1823 the payment of a duty of 2 francs per ton when selling to a foreigner, in this residence, the ship La Concorde française, attached to Martinique.
An amount of 268 francs 75 centimes had been remitted on this occasion in the form of a mandat payable to MM. André and Cottier in Paris, in the name of the ministry’s private cashier.
The document specifies that this sum must be charged to the colonial cash desk. It is noted, however, that an earlier payment of 197 francs 19 centimes did not correspond to the total duty due. The submission related to the registration of the vessel therefore should only be canceled after the difference is paid.
The minister finally says he is writing to this effect to the Governor of Martinique.
The letter ends with the formula,
“Please accept, Monsieur le Vicomte, the assurance of my highest consideration.”
followed by the manuscript note:
“Le Pair de France, Ministre de la Marine et des Colonies” and an autograph signature.
The minister is Christophe André Jean de Chabrol de Crouzol (1771-1836), then Minister of the Navy and Colonies. Identification is corroborated by the BnF collections, which list Chabrol as minister of the Navy and preserve letters from him on ministerial paper.
This first piece thus presents joint interest for maritime history, custom duties, the colonial administration of Martinique, and the international circulation of French ships under the Restoration.
2. Letter of August 9, 1883 – complaint concerning Martinique
Second official letter dated “Paris, August 9, 1883” on letterhead of the Ministry of the Navy and Colonies Direction of Colonies – 2nd Bureau with handwritten administrative number 2469 and marginal annotation “Regarding his complaint”
It is addressed to Mr. Hons-Olivier,
144 boulevard Saint-Germain, Paris.
The ministry informs the recipient that his complaint directed against Mr. Cassin has been transmitted to the Governor of Martinique, with a request for a detailed report on the matter. The ministry specifies that the response from the concerned official will be communicated to the complainant as soon as it is received.
The letter ends with the formula,
“Please accept, Sir, the assurances of my perfect consideration” then “For the Minister of the Navy and Colonies and by his order, the Under-Director of the Colonies,”
followed by a handwritten signature, the exact reading of which remains uncertain from the photographs. The document also bears a pencil administrative note, presumably related to its registration or handling by the ministerial services.
These two documents, separated by 56 years, concretely illustrate the functioning of the French Ministry of the Navy and Colonies in the 19th century. The first concerns a maritime and fiscal operation involving Constantinople and Martinique in 1823-1827; the second documents in 1883 the central administration’s handling of a complaint transmitted to the Governor of Martinique.
The pairing of the two pieces is particularly coherent in terms of ministerial administration, the Directorate of Colonies, and especially the same territory involved, Martinique, but under two political regimes and two very different periods of the 19th century.
BnF also preserves substantial sets from the Ministry of the Navy and Colonies, notably comparable administrative correspondence; its Annuaire de la marine et des colonies apparently continued during the 1852-1889 period.
Documents kept in their old state, with wear folds and correspondence marks, slight marks, small irregularities and marginal wear visible, writing in ink overall highly legible. The 1827 letter features several annotations and administrative numbers of the period. A coherent historical whole.
Dimensions 21 cm × 29 cm.
Martinique – Christophe de Chabrol.
Ministry of the Navy and Colonies – 1827 & 1883,”
The photos form an integral part of the description.
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