Royal Company Islands (Royal Company Isles) – Phantom Southeast Pacific Archipelago
Royal Company Isles · Royal Company's Islands · Yp. de la Aurore
Phantom cartographic (1772–1856)·Spanish Pacific Royal Company / Cook Second Voyage / British sealing·🇨🇱 Southeast Pacific phantom west of Chile, 50°09′S 143°W approx, Chile (Pacific phantom)
About
About Royal Company Islands (Royal Company Isles) – Phantom Southeast Pacific Archipelago
Royal Company Islands – phantom archipelago reported 1772 by Spanish ship Aurora at 50°09′S 143°W in Southeast Pacific 1500 km southwest of Robinson Crusoe, charted by Vaugondy and Spanish Admiralty as three islands spanning 100 km. Cook on Second Voyage (1772–75) systematically searched 50°S 140°W–143°W with 3000 m soundings finding abyssal plain, but French charts retained them to confuse British South Pacific sealing (useful phantom to mask true Juan Fernández). The islands were refuted 1825 by Benjamin Morrell and officially removed 1856 after US Hydrographic survey found 4500 m water. Their persistence shows Spanish Pacific secrecy.
Why it mattersExemplifies chartered company phantom for monopoly disinformation; Cook's negative search is early chronometer-based disproof methodology.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Whether Aurora 1772 was South Pacific cloud-bank mirage vs intentional Royal Company disinformation to mask Juan Fernández sealing
- 02Why Vaugondy retained Aurore isles after Cook's 1775 negative
Theories
- 01Juan Fernández Islands (33°39′S 78°52′W) nearest real Juan Fernández 2200 km NE
- 02Cook's 4500 m sounding is abyssal proof
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- Reported 1772 Aurora Royal Company; charted 1772–1856; Cook 1772–75 negative 4500 m
- Period
- Phantom cartographic (1772–1856)
- Culture
- Spanish Pacific Royal Company / Cook Second Voyage / British sealing
- Purpose
- Phantom sealing ground for Royal Company chartered sealing monopoly
- Abandoned
- Refuted 1772–75 Cook + 1856 US sounding 4500 m
- Rediscovered
- Phantom 1856–
- Excavation
- Not applicable
Reported 1772 Aurora Royal Company; charted 1772–1856; Cook 1772–75 negative 4500 m
Initial construction
c. 1652 CE
Rediscovery
On the ground
Structures & features
50.8000° S · 143.0000° W · 0 m · 3 mapped features
Royal Company Charted Centre (50°09′S 143°W)
phantom position50°09′S 143°W Aurora charted centre where Cook found 4500 m – Royal Company phantom centre
50.8000° S · 143.0000° WCook Second Voyage Search Track (1772–75)
trackCook track searching 50°S 140–143°W systematic sounding line – early chronometer disproof transect
50.5000° S · 142.5000° WJuan Fernández Reference (Real Sealing Ground)
islandJuan Fernández Islands 33°39′S 78°52′W real sealing ground masked by Royal Company phantom
33.6500° S · 78.8700° W
Gallery