Ship's Passengers

Luganville Was Named By Ship's Passengers

The area for a long time known as Luganville, in the New Hebrides, is known more widely these days as Santo. There is still a Luganville, but it has spread a lot since the war, and the general name of Santo is considered a better one for the part that has spread. The subject has been discussed from time to time in “PIM”.

If they were alive today, a number of important passengers in the Messageries Maritimes vessel “Tanais”, which visited that area in 1889, would be unhappy at the changes that have come about. For they were the people who named Luganville.

The story is told by one of them, Mr. G. Verschuur, in his book “At the Antipodes”, published soon after the event :— WE cast anchor in Segond Canal, which owes its name to the visit of a French man-o-war under Admiral Petit-Thouars, about twelve years ago.

The bay where we were moored

was very large, but we saw no trace of habitation. A courageous colonist) M. Bernier, is living some distance from the shore, in the midst ok natives who are supposed to be verj hostile.

M. Bernier started a coffee plantation some time ago, and is devoting all his energies to the success of his enterprise.

M. Bernier dined with us on board. He belonged to a family of travellers. His grandfather was one of the survivors of the Medusa.

Several toasts were given at, dinner, and one of our party, Ml Cudenet, a lawyer in Noumea, pro posed that the name of the captain of the Tanais should be given to the river which flows into the Segond Canal, and that the station then in the course of erection should be named Luganville.

M. Cudenet repeated the formulae for the naming of the river in the following words: On May 14th, 1889, the under signed passengers of the Messageries Maritimes Company’s ship Tanais r t anchored in Segond Canal, being desirous of giving to M. Armand: Lugan, the captain of the Tanais\ a proof of their profound esteenr for his abilities and character, have decided that the name Lugan shall, be given to the river flowing into the Segond Canal, and that the station founded by M. Bernier irr the name of the Caledonian Com pany of the New Hebrides, near the mouth of the river, shall be called: Luganville. ‘The undersigned further request) the Governor of New Caledonia and the Minister of Marine to causea these names to be inserted on thea maps, in remembrance of the first) voyage made to these parts by ae steamer of the Messageries Mari— times, at the instigation of M. Noelf Pardon, Governor of New Cale donia.’

Luganville, this area of the New Hebrides was once named. Today it is known as Santo, and there are more changes occuring every year The flying-boat service which used to land there a few years ago (above) has now ceased, and a new fishing industry has sprung up, using Japanese workers (left). It was all very different in 1889.