Louis Vernet

Luis Vernet was the 4th and last Argentine Governor of Puerto Soledad, and Argentine colony in the Falkland Islands from 1829 until 1831. Prior to his appointment as Governor, Vernet was a successful businessman with wide commerical interests in the Falklands. Vernet's actions as Governor led to the destruction of the colony. The appointment of Vernet was challenged by the British consul in Buenos Aires, who restated the previous British claim to the Islands. Image File history File links LuisVernet. ... Image File history File links LuisVernet. ... The Governor of the Falkland Islands is the local representative of the British Crown in the Falkland Islands. ... 1829 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... 1831 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... Buenos Aires (Good Airs in Spanish, originally meaning Fair Winds) is the capital of Argentina and its largest city and port, as well as one of the largest cities in Latin America. ...

Vernet arrived in Puerto Soledad in 1829. The Argentine colony was only established in 1820 following the abandonment of the previous Spanish and British colonies in the Falklands in 1811 and 1774 respectively. The colony was largely archaic, and the Argentine government hoped that Vernet's appointment would bolster the economic and political status of the colony, given his extensive business operations. 1820 was a leap year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... 1811 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... 1774 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ...

One of the first acts by Vernet was to curb seal hunting on the Islands to conserve the dwindling seal population. Vernet himself had an interest in seal hunting and wished to conserve the population for his own dealings. Vernet later seized the American ship, Harriet, for breaking the restrictions on seal hunting. Property on board the ship was seized and the captain was returned to Buenos Aires to stand trial. Vernet also returned for the trial. The American Consul in Argentina protested the actions by Vernet, stating that the United States did not recognise Argentine sovereignty in the Falklands. The consul dispatched the warship, USS Lexington to the Puerto Soledad to retake the confiscated property.

Unfortunately for the Argentine colony, the captain of the Lexington went beyond his command and destroyed the Argentine settlement at Puerto Soledad. On leaving, the captain declared the Islands to be res nullius (free of all government) and returned to Montevideo. This left the islands in a state of anarchy, occupied by escaped convicts and pirates. Attempts by the Argentine government to re-establish the colony failed when a new Governor arrived in the islands, only to be murdered by the remaining colonists. In 1833, the United Kingdom invaded the Falkland Islands and expelled the population, and regained defacto control of the islands Montevideo Independence Plaza Independence Plaza, c. ... The United Kingdom mounted an invasion of the Falkland Islands on January 2, 1833, after the destruction of the Argentine Puerto Soledad settlement by the American corvette Lexington (December 28, 1831). ...