DILLON, PETER (1785-1847) went to sea as a young man. Tall and strong, he saw a great deal of life in the South Sea islands in the early years of the nineteenth century. He seems to have visited the Friendly Islands (Tonga) as early as 1809 and in the next 20 years was almost constantly trading to the East and the Pacific Islands, forming friendships which were of great service to his employers.

In 1813 he was chief officer of the barque Hunter, of Calcutta, and had a narrow escape at Fiji in attempting to seize sandalwood which he claimed to have paid for. Calling at Tikopia later, the Hunter landed a Prussian, Martin Buchert, and his Fiji wife. In 1814 Dillon commanded the Active on her voyage to land Marsden's first missionaries at Bay of Islands. He claimed during these years to have lived 14 months at Tahiti and a considerable time at Bau (Fiji), and his friendship with the chief Mafanga, of Tongatabu, was a long-standing one. In 1823 when he was commanding the brig Calder, he reported to Marsden at Hokianga having discovered stowaway convicts on board and suggested greater strictness in the inspection of vessels at Port Jackson in order to protect New Zealand from the influx of such characters.

In 1825 Dillon lost the Calder at Valparaiso, but acquired instead the St Patrick, 450 tons, a Paraguay-built ship which had taken part in the Chilean wars and had already visited New Zealand for spars. Arriving off Cape Colville on 31 Dec, the vessel was boarded by Hinaki, who reported that the local tribe had retreated to the interior to evade Hongi. Pomare also visited Dillon, who suspected that he premeditated attacking the ship. When about to leave New Zealand after a stay of three months bartering muskets for spars, Dillon took on board two sons of the Thames chief Tukurua. At Tikopia Buchert showed Dillon a sword guard and other articles which had been brought from Vanikoro (Santa Cruz) and which were believed to have belonged to La Perouse, whose ships were reported to have been cast away in a storm.

On reaching Calcutta (Aug 1826) Dillon introduced the young chiefs to Lord Combermere and exhibited to the Asiatic Society of Bengal the relics of La Perouse. The East India Company consented to prosecute the search, and gave Dillon command of the Research, which left Calcutta in Jan 1827. Reaching New Zealand in Jul, Dillon declined to land the young chiefs at Bay of Islands for fear of the vengeance of Pomare, but they and their father were all killed in a battle with Hongi shortly after they reached their home.

Disappointed in his hope of meeting D'Urville in New Zealand or Tonga, Dillon proceeded to Vanikoro (7 Sep) and gathered conclusive evidence of the fate of La Perouse, with which he returned to Calcutta (Apr 1828). When he reached Paris in 1829, his services were liberally rewarded. He was made a chevalier of the Legion of Honour and a member of the Geographical Society of Paris, and was voted an annuity of 4,000 francs a year. His Narrative of the Successful Result of a Voyage in the South Seas was published in 1829.

Dillon at this time saw much of the rector of the Irish College in Paris. At his instigation he wrote to the Vicar-general of the diocese of Pamiers (the Ven H. de Solages) who had just been appointed prefect-apostolic of the Isle of Bourbon, urging that the Catholic Church should establish a mission with the help of the naval ship which went annually to Valparaiso with supplies for French naval units in the Pacific. The Ministry of Marine having acceded to this request, the scheme was submitted to the Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith and approved. In 1830 a decree was made creating a prefecture apostolic, and in 1833 two vicariates were created in the Pacific, New Zealand being included in that of Western Oceania. News having meanwhile arrived of the death of de Solages (on 8 Dec 1832), it became necessary to seek for a successor, and the choice fell on Jean B. F. Pompallier (q.v., 23 Dec 1835).

In 1832 Dillon's letter to an influential person in London setting forth the advantages of settling New Zealand was published. He was appointed French consul in the South Seas, and lived for a few years there, but resigned in 1838 and resided in Ireland until his death on 9 Feb 1847.

Dillon, op. cit.; Marsden; Bayly; Thierry, Reminiscences; D. D'Urville, Voyage Pittoresque autour du Monde, 1834; Zealandia, 24 Feb 1938.

Reference: Volume 1, page 121

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