War in the books. Colonial competition between Great Britain and France in the books of the Etnographic Museum of Buenos Aires (1690-1800)

Abstract

After the long Spanish domination over Europe, and the decadence of Holland’s colonialism, Great Britain and France disputed his domination over the seas in the first half of Eighteenth century. The conflict was solved with the brutish victory over France during the Seven Years’ War (1756-1763) and marked the books’ edition in both countries for the knowledge, translation and dissemination of voyages’.narratives, in order to achieve new discoveries and anticipate next conquest and possessions. This article proposes make a description of theses conflicts from the military and publishing events, from the books of Museo Etnográfico de Buenos Aires’ Library. This library have a lot of English and French texts on voyages and explorations of colonial territories. These books show the important and mutual interest between Great Britain and France for the geographical, colonial and scientific achievement in the Eighteenth century. About these books, this article shows the intellectual, scientific and publishing competition further diplomatic and military rivalry between British and French colonialism. Besides, it analyses the importance of voyages’. Narratives for the advertising of colonial enterprise and its commercial and territorial aims to the public in order achieve his support.