User:Blakealxp/Ministry of the Navy (France)

Pursuit of Grandeur and Science
During King Louis XIV’s time in power, came the official founding of the Ministry of Navy in 1669. During this time in French science, research was largely funded by ministers to the King and the King himself. This union of government and science led to endeavors with the objective of bolstering the nation’s intellectual equity along with obtaining goods. The Ministry of Navy was used by the government and the crown to enact science during this time, especially in regards to colonies around the world, and especially in the West Indies. The French minister Jean-Baptiste Colbert put into place policy in the West Indies that would further the prosperity of the French empire. In 1664 he launched the West India Company which was given control over a large portion of the American hemisphere and along the coast of Africa.

France’s scientific infrastructure quickly became some of the most advanced  in the world and was used to maintain and start up colonies globally. The resources collected from the colonies were both intellectual and material, in an attempt to bring much esteem to the nation. France was dependent on the Ministry of Navy in helping to relay reliable information as to the locations of the colonies that were established.

Moving forward from the 1600s-1700s, France continued colonial-scientific efforts into the 1800s and 1900s. One such case is their attempts to establish colonies in Algeria during the 1830’s. Due to the efforts of Chasseloup-Laubat, a scientist working for France, the Ministry of Navy was given access to iron covered and steam powered naval vessels. In Paris, France 1931, the government put on the Exposition coloniale internationale. The major emphasis was on the aquatic nature of the exposition and showcasing fish and other organisms from their different colonies. The Ministry of Navy was responsible for gathering these samples and then returning them safely to France.