The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 78, July 1974 - April, 1975 Page: 93

Book Reviews
ROBERT A. CALVERT, Editor
The French Legation in Texas. Volume II: Mission Miscarried. Translated
and edited by Nancy Nichols Barker. (Austin: Texas State Historical
Association, 1973- Pp. 353. Illustrations, appendix, index. $12.)
This is the second and final volume of Professor Nancy N. Barker's The
French Legation in Texas. Volume II contains the English translation and
editing of 167 documents (including enclosures) selected from the French
Foreign Ministry files representing correspondence between that office and
its legation in Texas for the period from November i , 1842, to May 30,
1846. With the publication of this volume fewer than half of the documents
of official diplomatic and commercial correspondence and memoranda from
the nine bound volumes of Correspondance politique: Texas and from the
single volume of Correspondance commerciale: Austin have now been pub-
lished. While most of the documents have been published in their entirety,
there are instances where a part or all of a document has been summarized
to conserve space since the information is repetitious or is available in other
published sources. The editor, however, has carefully included all informa-
tion relating to personal contacts with public officials and other persons and
all documents where policies are discussed or recommended that could have
influenced decisions of the French government. All instructions from the
French Foreign Minister, Frangois Pierre G. Guizot, have been included.
Volume II is divided into two parts. Part I deals with the mission of
Viscount Jules de Cramayel, a little known figure who served as charge
d'affaires ad interim in Texas from January, 1843, to January, 1844, while
Alphonse Dubois de Saligny, the regular assigned charge d'affaires, was
absent on leave. Of the fifty-one Cramayel letters, forty-five are date-lined
Galveston, two Washington-on-the-Brazos, and four New Orleans. Part II
contains the correspondence of Dubois de Saligny from January 15, 1844,
to the end of his mission in Texas. An experienced diplomat, member of the
titled nobility, and financially independent, Cramayel proved to be more
objective and accurate in his reporting than Dubois de Saligny, although not
as smooth with the pen. He was more conscientious and dedicated to keep-
ing his government informed. He stayed on the job and did not go dashing
off to New Orleans as did Dubois de Saligny (who between January I5,