December 11th, 1861.
My Dear Doctor,
His Excellency informed me by note last night1 that Mr. Heales thinks to leave the consideration of everything connected with the great and glorious enterprise of your son and Mr. Burke,2 to the Commission, which Mr. Heales will probably have installed before leaving office.3
His Excellency adds, that every thought shall be given, that the family who immortialized their name by the work of your lamented son shall not be forgotten. I hope to be in town to-morrow, and will do myself the pleasure of calling on you.
Very regardfully yours,
Ferd. Mueller.
Note not found.
William John Wills and Robert O'Hara Burke.
In one of his last acts as Chief Secretary before leaving office on 14 November 1861, Richard Heales established a Commission to inquire into the circumstances connected with the disastrous outcome of the Burke and Wills Exploring Expedition (Argus, 11 November 1861, p. 4).
Letter not found. For the text given here see Wills (1863), pp. 358-9 (B63.01.02). The date given is, however, clearly incorrect (see n. 4 below); it is assumed here that the wrong month was named.
Please cite as “FVM-61-11-11,” 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