A timeline of key dates and world events.

American alliance with France

22 May – sister Susanna, born

Spain declares War on England

26 January – entered at Mr. Whitehead’s School for reading only.

4 March – begins writing at Mr.Whitehead’s.

British surrender to America at Yorktown

23 March – mother dies

American War of Independence ends – Peace of Versailles
William Pitt the Younger becomes PM

December – Matthew is reported to be learning well, particularly Latin.

24 July – starts at the Reverend Shingler’s Boarding School.

December – returns from School to assist his father in the family business.

23 October joins Royal Navy, entered on books of HMS Alert as a lieutenant’s servant (does not join)

April – Mutiny on the Bounty
July – Storming of Bastille

17 May joins HMS Scipio as Able-seaman rate for cruise with Captain Pasley
20 July joins HMS Bellerophon as Able-seaman rate
31 July junior midshipman under Pasley

14 April joins HMS Dictator as junior midshipman
8 May joins HMS Providence as midshipman under Captain William Bligh for second ‘breadfruit’ voyage

Voyage to the Pacific in HMS Providence. under command of Captain Bligh.

August returns to England
7 September re-joins the Bellerophon as Able-seaman rate
1 October senior midshipman

Execution of Louis XVI: French Revolutionary War starts
France declares War on England

First expedition in the Tom Thumb with George Bass – to Botany Bay and the George’s River
25 November promoted acting-Lieutenant in the Reliance

HMS Reliance with Governor Hunter.

March – second expedition with George Bass in the Tom Thumb II – to south coast of New South Wales

Spain declares War on England

December – Bass’s whaleboat journey establishes strong likelihood of the existence of a strait between Van Diemen’s Land (Tasmania) and the Australian mainland.

Battle of St. Vincent
Spithead and Nore Mutinies
Battle of Camperdown

31 January – promoted lieutenant
February – Journeys to Furneaux Islands off the north-east corner of Van Diemen’s Land and notes evidence to support Bass’s suspicions about a strait.
October – With Bass begins voyage in the Norfolk through suspected strait and around Van Diemen’s Land.

Battle of the Nile

October 1798–January 1799 — Circumnavigates Van Diemen’s Land [Tasmania] with Bass in HM Sloop Norfolk.

January — Returns to Port Jackson in the Norfolk.
Later in year explores northern coast of NSW in the Norfolk

Napoleon appointed 1st Consul in France
French capture Naples

August arrives back in England in the Reliance.
September writes to Sir Joseph Banks proposing voyage of discovery to Terra Australis

24 January – appointed to command the sloop Investigator on a voyage of Australian exploration
16 February – promoted to rank of commander
17 April – marries Ann Chappelle
18 July – sails for Australia
December – reaches Cape Leeuwin, south-western Australia

Battle of Copenhagen
Armistice with France
End of Pitt the Younger as PM

January – Begins survey of southern coast of Australia
April – Meets with Baudin in French exploration ship Géographe at Encounter Bay, south Australia
May – Reaches Port Jackson (Sydney)
July – sails from Port Jackson to commence survey of east and north coast.

Treaty of Amiens with France signed

March – Puts into Timor for repairs to the Investigator
June – Arrives back in Port Jackson via western and southern coasts having circumnavigated Australia
August – Departs Port Jackson as passenger in the Porpoise to return to England, the Investigator having been condemned
– Porpoise wrecked on Wreck Reef, returns to Port Jackson in the cutter Hope
September – sails from Port Jackson in the schooner Cumberland to return to England
15 December – puts into Ile de France (Mauritius), arrested as a spy. Held prisoner in the Hotel Marengo

England declares War on France
Napoleonic Wars start

April – moved to the Maison Despeaux, the Garden Prison

Spain declares War on England

21 March – French government approves his release

July – news of French government approval for release reaches Mauritius but General Decaen refuses to implement

Peninsular War to drive French out of Spain

13 June – Released from Mauritius to return to England via Cape of Good Hope in the Otter.
23 October – Arrives back in England after absence of over nine years, is promoted Post Captain back dated to 7 May 1810.

December – Mauritius falls to Britain

1 April – birth of only child, Anne

War with America
Napoleon invades Russia, is forced to retreat from Moscow

18 July – A Voyage to Terra Australis is published; Died of kidney failure next day – buried St James’, Hampstead Road, London

Napoleon abdicates, exiled on Elba

Waterloo – Napoleonic Wars end, Napoleon imprisoned on island of St. Helena.