PONS, Francois Raymond Joseph de, French traveller, born in Souston, Santo Domingo, in 1751 ; died in Paris about 1812. He studied in Paris, became a lawyer, and was elected member of the Academic society of sciences. He went to Caracas, in South America, where he acted as agent of the French government till the revolution, and then to England, where he spent several years in preparing his works for publication. He appears to have paid a second visit to America during this time. He returned to France in 1804, and, although he was not employed by the imperial government, his advice was constantly sought in matters relating to the colonial possessions of France. He wrote "Les colonies francaises"; "Observations sur la situation politique de St. Domingue" (1792) ; " Voyage g la partie orientale de la terre ferme, dans l'Amerique meridionale, fair pendant les annees 1801,1803, 1804" (1806) ; and "Perspective des rapports politiques et commerciaux de la France dans les deux Indes, sous la dynastic regnante" (1807).