Melbourne bot. & zool. Garden,
20. Dec. 1859
Sir
I have the honor to return the documents in reference to a remittance of seventy five pounds Sterling forwarded to Edw Wilson Esq. and regret that I was unable to return them, as desired, before the close of the mail, the papers having reached me only this day at noon.2
In reply to your memorandum3 I have the honor to inform you, that I have not been instructed either by the office or by the Committee of the zoological gardens to specify to Mr Wilson, what animals should be procured for the above remittance and I beg for this purpose to annex a copy of the resolution adopted by the Committee.4
The reason, for which the Committee did not issue an enumeration of what we required of animals &c for the zoological Garden is to be sought in our being aware of Mr Wilson having expended already a much larger sum than 75£ for promoting his objects, and thus, as will be seen in my letter dated 1. August 1859, we solicited the above sum "in furtherance of Mr Wilson's exertions of introducing useful animals into the colony." I have however pointed out to Mr Wilson, that the introduction of salmon was regarded here as important, and have also acquainted him with the Committees desire of leaving him free action in his enterprises as far as the choice of animals is concerned, writing to him simultaneously with the transmission of remittance.5
The sum, on the supplementary estimates, will be available only, if voted, for British game, and should the sum provided for the purchase of animals in 1860 admit of being to a considerable amount forwarded to Mr Wilson likewise and such a step receive the sanction of the hon. the Chief Secretary, I will not fail to request the Committee to specify every single animal then to be imported.
I have the honor to be,
Sir,
your most obedient servant
Ferd Mueller
Mr Undersecretary Moore
&c &c &c6
Please cite as “FVM-59-12-20,” in Correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller, edited by R.W. Home, Thomas A. Darragh, A.M. Lucas, Sara Maroske, D.M. Sinkora†, J.H. Voigt† and Monika Wells accessed on 29 April 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/vonmueller/letters/59-12-20