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No. 2840, unit 3, p. 142, VPRS 963 correspondence register, VA 669 Public Works Department, Public Record Office, Victoria.Letter not found; item is a register entry only.On 21 May 1857 the Portuguese Consul to Victoria, J. Were, wrote to the Chief Secretary, W. Haines, making an application on behalf of the King of Portugal for an assortment of Australian plants and seeds. The King was prepared to pay moderate expenses, and also to provide a similar assortment of plants and seeds from Portugal. Were's letter was referred to the President of the Board of Land and Works, D. Moore, on 25 May 1857 (A57/3747, unit 715, VPRS 1189, PROV).Subsequently the Public Works Department instructed the Superintendent of Melbourne's Botanic Gardens, J. Dallachy, to prepare the Australian plants, and M was requested to provide a list of plants which he considered it would be desirable to obtain from Portugal. The Chief Secretary's Department was informed of this action (B57/3991, unit 715, VPRS 1189, PROV). In turn the Chief Secretary's Office informed Were that his requests on behalf of the King of Portugal were in hand in a letter dated 10 June 1857, which letter also stated that the only expenses involved would be for the transit to Portugal (No. 1156, unit 1, p. 414, VPRS 1187, PROV).The Public Works Department forwarded to the Chief Secretary's Office on 11 July 1857 the plants and seeds for Portugal, and a list compiled by M of plants and seeds desired in return (B57/5028, unit 715, VPRS 1189, PROV). These in turn were forwarded to Were on 21 July 1857 (No. 1458, unit 1, p. 511, VPRS 1187, PROV)