Francisco Antonio Mourelle de la Rúa (July 17, 1750 – May 24, 1820) was a Spanish naval officer and explorer from Galicia serving the Spanish crown. He was born in 1750 at San Adrián de Corme (Corme Aldea, Ponteceso), near A Coruña, Galicia.[1]
Mourelle served the Spanish navy in the Guyanas, Trinidad, and the Antilles before becoming stationed at New Spain's Pacific Ocean naval base at San Blas, Mexico in 1774. He joined the 1775 expedition of Bruno de Heceta and Juan Francisco de la Bodega y Quadra, serving as Quadra's pilot on the schooner Sonora. On July 29, at around 49 degrees north latitude, the Sonora became separated from Heceta's ship Santiago. Heceta soon returned south while Quadra and Mourelle continued north, eventually reaching 58 degrees 30 minutes north latitude. They found and anchored in Bucareli Bay. Then they sailed south, arriving at Monterey, California, on October 7, and San Blas on November 20, 1775.[1]
Mourelle's journal was somehow taken clandestinely to London, where it was translated and published. Captain James Cook made use of the information in Mourelle's journal during his travels in the Pacific Northwest.[1]
1779 voyageedit
Mourelle again served as the pilot of Quadra, and second in command of the ship Favorita, during the 1779 expedition commanded by Ignacio de Arteaga. Leaving San Blas on February 11, 1779, the expedition reached 61 degrees north and Hinchinbrook Island at the head of the Gulf of Alaska. From there they sailed southwest along the Kenai Peninsula. The ships returned to San Blas on November 21, 1779.[1]
Later careeredit
During his service at San Blas, Mourelle traveled extensively throughout the Pacific Ocean. From 1781-1781 on the La Princessa, he attempted to find a southern route from the Philippines to Mexico, mapping 29 of the 50 islands in the Hermit Islands, Ninigo Islands and Tench Island in New Guinea, and Ontong Java in the same latitude as Solomon Islands.[2] He visited Tonga and travelled through the Ellice Islands (now Tuvalu). Keith S. Chambers and Doug Munro (1980) identify Niutao as the island that Mourelle named on May 5, 1781, thus solving what Europeans had called The Mystery of Gran Cocal.[3] Due to contrary winds, he returned via Guam and took the northern route across the Pacific to Mexico. He was also familiar with the Philippines and Canton, China.
Mourelle was transferred to Spain in 1793. He was promoted to frigate captain in the same year as the action of 19 January 1799 where he took a leading role. He became ship's captain in 1806, and commodore in 1811. He commanded a squadron in 1818 that was to put down a rebellion in the Rio de la Plata, but the endeavor never got underway.[1]
Mourelle died on May 24, 1820, at the age of 69.[1]
^ abcdefThrapp, Dan L. (1991). Encyclopedia of Frontier Biography: In Three Volumes. University of Nebraska Press. p. 1028. ISBN0-8032-9418-2.
^Quanchi, Max (2005). Historical Dictionary of the Discovery and Exploration of the Pacific Islands. The Scarecrow Press. p. 180. ISBN0810853957.
^Keith S. Chambers & Doug Munro, The Mystery of Gran Cocal: European Discovery and Mis-Discovery in Tuvalu, 89(2) (1980) The Journal of the Polynesian Society, 167-198
francisco, antonio, mourelle, rúa, july, 1750, 1820, spanish, naval, officer, explorer, from, galicia, serving, spanish, crown, born, 1750, adrián, corme, corme, aldea, ponteceso, near, coruña, galicia, contents, 1775, voyage, 1779, voyage, later, career, lega. Francisco Antonio Mourelle de la Rua July 17 1750 May 24 1820 was a Spanish naval officer and explorer from Galicia serving the Spanish crown He was born in 1750 at San Adrian de Corme Corme Aldea Ponteceso near A Coruna Galicia 1 Francisco Antonio Mourelle Contents 1 1775 voyage 2 1779 voyage 3 Later career 4 Legacy 5 References1775 voyage editMourelle served the Spanish navy in the Guyanas Trinidad and the Antilles before becoming stationed at New Spain s Pacific Ocean naval base at San Blas Mexico in 1774 He joined the 1775 expedition of Bruno de Heceta and Juan Francisco de la Bodega y Quadra serving as Quadra s pilot on the schooner Sonora On July 29 at around 49 degrees north latitude the Sonora became separated from Heceta s ship Santiago Heceta soon returned south while Quadra and Mourelle continued north eventually reaching 58 degrees 30 minutes north latitude They found and anchored in Bucareli Bay Then they sailed south arriving at Monterey California on October 7 and San Blas on November 20 1775 1 Mourelle s journal was somehow taken clandestinely to London where it was translated and published Captain James Cook made use of the information in Mourelle s journal during his travels in the Pacific Northwest 1 1779 voyage editMourelle again served as the pilot of Quadra and second in command of the ship Favorita during the 1779 expedition commanded by Ignacio de Arteaga Leaving San Blas on February 11 1779 the expedition reached 61 degrees north and Hinchinbrook Island at the head of the Gulf of Alaska From there they sailed southwest along the Kenai Peninsula The ships returned to San Blas on November 21 1779 1 Later career editDuring his service at San Blas Mourelle traveled extensively throughout the Pacific Ocean From 1781 1781 on the La Princessa he attempted to find a southern route from the Philippines to Mexico mapping 29 of the 50 islands in the Hermit Islands Ninigo Islands and Tench Island in New Guinea and Ontong Java in the same latitude as Solomon Islands 2 He visited Tonga and travelled through the Ellice Islands now Tuvalu Keith S Chambers and Doug Munro 1980 identify Niutao as the island that Mourelle named on May 5 1781 thus solving what Europeans had called The Mystery of Gran Cocal 3 Due to contrary winds he returned via Guam and took the northern route across the Pacific to Mexico He was also familiar with the Philippines and Canton China Mourelle was to command the Mexicana for a 1792 voyage to explore the Strait of Georgia but Alessandro Malaspina had one of his own officers Cayetano Valdes placed in command of the Mexicana Dionisio Alcala Galiano commanded the Sutil the twin companion of the Mexicana Mourelle was transferred to Spain in 1793 He was promoted to frigate captain in the same year as the action of 19 January 1799 where he took a leading role He became ship s captain in 1806 and commodore in 1811 He commanded a squadron in 1818 that was to put down a rebellion in the Rio de la Plata but the endeavor never got underway 1 Mourelle died on May 24 1820 at the age of 69 1 Legacy editMaurelle Island in the Discovery Islands of the South Coast of British Columbia Canada was named for him 4 References edit a b c d e f Thrapp Dan L 1991 Encyclopedia of Frontier Biography In Three Volumes University of Nebraska Press p 1028 ISBN 0 8032 9418 2 Quanchi Max 2005 Historical Dictionary of the Discovery and Exploration of the Pacific Islands The Scarecrow Press p 180 ISBN 0810853957 Keith S Chambers amp Doug Munro The Mystery of Gran Cocal European Discovery and Mis Discovery in Tuvalu 89 2 1980 The Journal of the Polynesian Society 167 198 Maurelle Island BC Geographical Names Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Francisco Antonio Mourelle amp oldid 1112338211, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
