aware of the potential threat of losing sovereignty of parts of the new zealand island chain to the french, during early 1840, lieutenant-governor william hobson was tasked with securing the whole of the country for the british government. to this end, the treaty of waitangi was signed as an agreement between the british crown and the indigenous māori population. by the time "aube" arrived at the bay of islands in june 1840, the acquisition of the country by britain was effectively complete. faced with no prospect of anything more than a small colonial settlement, lavaud left for banks peninsula to oversee the arrival of "comte de paris". hobson also sent a ship, hms "britomart", on board which were colonial magistrates.