[Union agricole d'Afrique], Ensemble de Documents et brochures, 1845-1850

The project of the Agricultural Union of Africa was born from the meeting of French colonial interests in Algeria and the Fourierist desire to found a community following the phalansterian principles. These interests came together in Lyon where there was an active Fourierist group with the meeting of Captain Gautier, an officer of the Army of Africa, with Miss Aimée Beuque, a convinced Fourierist.
The project of a civil joint stock company running a colony in Algeria took shape during the year 1845 and the Agricultural Union of Africa was founded in December 1845. Its goal was to experiment with the Fourierist principle of associating capital, labor and talent.
It has thirty-three members including the members of the organizing committee: Fleury Imbert, François Barrier, Felix Beuque and Sister (Aimée), Captain Gautier...
On November 8, 1846, a royal ordinance authorized the Lyon Committee to found a Civil Colonization Society on the condition that it welcome three hundred European families, at least two-thirds of whom must be of French origin. Louis Philippe allocates three thousand hectares to the Union at the foot of the hills of the Sig Valley, eighteen kilometers from the sea, on the road from Oran to Mascara.
The first settlers will settle in Algeria during the year 1847. Gradually losing the Fourierist essence of the beginning, the Sig colony will nevertheless last until the end of the 19th century.

Inthis volume, are bound a series of documents from the organizing committee of the Agricultural Union of Africa:

- Draft Statutes of a Civil Society, For the Exploitation of a Rural Property in Algeria, Lyon, Dumoulin, 1845. 23 pages.
First edition.
One of the first documents relating to the Union. It presents the draft statutes of the company before its foundation, which would not take place until the end of 1845. The document also presents the members of the organizing committee and the list of the first subscribers.

- The Agricultural Union of... Civil joint-stock company for the exploitation of a rural property in Africa, Lyon, Boitel, [1845]. 16 pages.
First edition.
Work of the organizing committee from its formation until October 25, 1845. The end of the document gives the model of the power of attorney to be sent to subscribers for the founding of the company.

- Letter of application for membership, November 1845. 3 pages
Document in civil character probably sent to the subscribers who, on the eve of the filing of the application for a concession, seek to extend the number of concessionaires from ten to twelve people.
"ten to twelve people capable by their wealth and their position of lending us effective support."

- Plan with caption, (nd). (2) folding plates.
Probably the plan of the colony as it was planned in the early days of the project. It shows an enclosure of 400x300 meters grouping together residential and manufacturing buildings.

- Contract of enrollment of associated workers, Lyon, December 15, 1846. 2 pages.
Exceptional document presenting the contract that linked the Union with the associated workers.
Our copy is completed and countersigned by Félix Beuque (member of the board of directors) and Jacob Held, a 36-year-old ploughman and shoemaker from Geneva. Jacob Held commits for one year and becomes a shareholder with 50 francs.

- Pay scale for associated workers and Supplies scale, (nd). (2) pages.
Fascinating document for understanding the internal economy of the Union. Each worker is both an employee and an associate, the salary scale is defined for all hierarchical levels.
It should be noted that while women can claim a maximum of 70% of a man's salary, they can nevertheless access the position of special director of the 1st class (highest position after the General Director). We also see that a salary of 25 francs per year is provided for children from 0 to 5 years old...
On the back, we find the rate for accommodation and full board (with different meal and accommodation options).
Thus, a Worker's Assistant (14th class) will receive 504 francs per year and will spend at least 360 francs on food and 20 francs on accommodation.

- Union Agricole d'Afrique: Extract from the statutes..., Lyon, Boitel, (nd). (4) pages.
Extracts from the statutes and subscription form published after the founding of the civil society.

- Union Agricole d'Afrique joint stock company for the founding of an agricultural and industrial commune in the Sig plain, in Algeria, province of Oran, Lyon, Boitel, (nd). 4 pages.
Prospectus presenting the company.

- Union Agricole d'Afrique joint stock company... Royal concession order. Lyon, Boitel, (nd). 4 pages.
Prospectus reproducing the royal ordinance of concession granted to the Union.

Bulletin of the Union Agricole d'Afrique :

Bulletin intended for the members of the Union to report on the progress of the project and the first steps of the colony in Algeria.
- Bulletin No. 1: 4 pages. Proof presenting handwritten corrections that will be corrected in the distributed copy. In particular, the name of the correspondent of the city of Nancy is crossed out.
- Bulletin No. 1: 4 pages. Printing distributed with the inclusion of the corrections below, a new layout and the addition of the royal ordinance of Louis Philippe granting the concession.
- List of shareholders, Year 1847: 4 pages.
- Bulletin No. 2: Statutes of the Agricultural Union of Africa. 12 pages.
- Bulletin No. 3: Report of the Board of Directors of the Agricultural Union of Africa. 30-(2) pages.
- Bulletin No. 4: 4 pages and 2 plates.
- Bulletin No. 6: Union agricole d'Afrique: Report on the administration, financial year 1847-1848
(2)-8-60 pages.
- Bulletin No. 7: Union agricole d'Afrique. 4 pages.

- Colonisation du Sig, Réponse à Mr le Maréchal Bugeaud, Oran, 1848. 4 pages. Inserted between bulletins No. 4 and No. 6.
Article taken from the Echo d'Oran in which Captain Gautier responds to Marshal Bugeaud who announced the future fall of the Union in an article in the Revue des deux mondes.

- Bulletin de l'Union du Sig. Tome premier - Septembre 1849 - Aout 1850. 282-xliv-[283-298] pages. The first xliv pages bound after page 282.
First year of publication of the Bulletin of the Union of the Sig which replaced the Bulletin of the Agricultural Union of Africa, to report to the members of the activity of the colony in Algeria.