law , ▁Ferdinand ▁IV , ▁King ▁of ▁Nap les ▁He ▁had ▁an ▁encourag ing ▁response ▁from ▁Nap les , ▁where ▁King ▁Ferdinand ' s ▁Minister ▁of ▁Com merce ▁and ▁the ▁Navy , ▁General ▁Sir ▁John ▁Act on , ▁wanted ▁to ▁promote ▁the ▁kingdom ' s ▁mar itime ▁trade . ▁King ▁Ferdinand ▁gave ▁Bol ts ▁a ▁char ter , ▁model led ▁on ▁that ▁he ▁had ▁received ▁from ▁Em press ▁Maria ▁Ther esa ▁in ▁ 1 7 7 6 , ▁with ▁a ▁term ▁of ▁twenty - one ▁years ▁from ▁ 1 7 8 6 , ▁for ▁a ▁Royal ▁Indian ▁Company ▁of ▁Nap les ▁( Reg ia ▁Soci età ▁del ▁India ▁di ▁Napoli ), ▁but ▁the ▁Ne ap ol itan ▁government ▁agreed ▁to ▁support ▁Bol ts ▁only ▁after ▁he ▁had ▁made ▁a ▁successful ▁initial ▁voyage ▁at ▁his ▁own ▁exp ense ▁and ▁risk . ▁Pre par ations ▁were ▁begun ▁in ▁Marse illes ▁to ▁fit ▁out ▁the ▁Ferdinand , ▁a ▁ship ▁Bol ts ▁planned ▁to ▁send ▁to ▁the ▁North ▁West ▁Coast ▁under ▁the ▁Ne ap ol itan ▁flag , ▁but ▁the ▁vent ure ▁was ▁abandoned ▁when ▁Bol ts ▁received ▁a ▁more ▁positive ▁response ▁from ▁the ▁French ▁government . ▁ ▁Bol ts ▁and ▁the ▁Lap ér ouse ▁expedition ▁With ▁the ▁Emperor ' s ▁permission , ▁Bol ts ▁also ▁put ▁his ▁proposal ▁to ▁Joseph ' s ▁other ▁brother - in - law , ▁Louis ▁XVI ▁of ▁France . ▁Bol ts ▁out lined ▁his ▁plan ▁in ▁letters ▁he ▁wrote ▁to ▁the ▁Mar éch al ▁de ▁Cast ries ▁on ▁ 2 5