To George Bentham¹    24 September 1864

24/9/64

Dear Sir.

Amidst manyfold other duties I have found only time to look hurriedly over the proofpages you were so good to send by last mail. I have given you some remarks thereon, which sooner or later may prove of utility.²

In my last letter I expressed my deep grief of the extensive damage sustained to very many parcels of the Leguminosae returned by the Sussex and it is unnecessary to repeat how disheartened I am in continuing my transmissions.³ I am aware, that we cannot absolutely guard against mishaps whilst goods are entrusted to long seavoyages, but it appears to me that in the instance out of which such serious loss arose nothing whatever was done by those to whom the packing & shipping of the plants was entrusted to secure for them more safety than any ordinary good. Had I not been more painstaking you would have probably received many of my sendings in an equally spoiled state. The person entrusted with the soldering of the case ought to have taken a new lid for the box, whereby not more than 2 or 3 shillings extra expense would have been incurred; and had your shipping agent pointed out (as I always do) to the Captain of the Sussex that these cases contained perishable plants not restorable Capt Ridgers, who since years is my particular friend, would have taken the boxes into his private Cabin, as he assured me when here.

In candor I must also express my disappointment, that as your stated in your letter by the mail before last,⁴ that the increase of one 6d on each letter's postage would be the cause of your discontinuing your regular communications to my department; and hence I received no letter by last mail.⁵ With the manly frankness which always shall characterize my actions I cannot withhold from you that your remarks, however unintentionally worded, have deeply wounded my pride; for I cannot but feel, when I contrast the sacrifices I have made in my department and on behalf of this Government and personally both monetary & scientifically for your work, the humiliation which the discontinuance of your regular correspondence on such grounds conveyes to my establishment.

The cases sent pr Lincolnshire have arrived yesterday & I am glad to state they have arrived without any damage to their contents as far as I can see in the haste of the moment, and I have no doubt that the plants will be found on closer inspection all well preserved.

It is however but right to observe that this consignment like the last was despatched without prepayment of freight. As the Kew resources are so enormous compared with those of my small department and as the obligation was entered into of defraying the return freight in London, perhaps you would kindly remind the shipping agent on the subject. My vote for incidental expenses is only £120 per annum, out of which the most varied accounts have to be paid for the horticultural as well as scientific branch of my establishment, any untoward charges to this vote cause embarrasment.

It has been pleasing to me to observe whilst looking over the elaboration of my Leguminosae, that the collection afforded you in many instances the sole opportunity of rendering known new species.

Trusting that for science sake you will continue in unimpaired health & enjoy still many years of strenght for your researches

I remain yr regardful

Ferd. Mueller

The boxes pr Lincolnshire were not marked "to be kept dry"⁶

I have sent this day (24/9/64) a parcel with additional Myrtaceae. I should have sent many interesting Leguminosae also (recently received) but as you never informed me, what you intended to do with supplements I did not like to send any material supplementary to what already had gone through print. The parcel is forwarded in his Excellencys Despatch bag.⁷

Leguminosae

Myrtaceae