Melbourne bot. & zool. Garden,
18. July 1861
Sir
I have the honor to solicit, that you will be pleased to permit our botanical collector, Mr Augustus Oldfield, to proceed in the "Victoria" to the Gulf of Carpenteria for the purpose of securing plants and seeds as far as this can be done conveniently by his joining any naval party. Commander Norman assures me, that he will find no difficulty in accommodating Mr Oldfield; nor will any expense arise by your Honors conceding to my solicitation, in as much as Mr Oldfield will defray out of his small salary of £3 a week, which has been granted to him in all former journeys, defray his expenses on shipboard.1
I have the honor to be,
Sir,
your most obedient servant
Ferd. Mueller
Gov Botanist
The honorable the Chief Secretary
&c &c &c
The Under Secretary, J. Moore, informed Heales that Norman had no objection to M's scheme. Heales minuted his approval on 1 August 1861. M was informed of the decision on 5 August and replied the same day: 'Thankfully returned'. In the event, Oldfield did not join the expedition and M sent Diedrich Henne as the botanist instead, but there were then some complications paying his expenses; see M to J. O'Shanassy, 18 December 1862.
Please cite as “FVM-61-07-18,” 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