[Asks Governmt to purchase his Library]1
M's letter was sent to the Treasurer on 13 January annotated: 'Suggesting £600 on Estimates'. After some discussion the vote of £600 for books was approved by the Committee of Supply of the Legislative Assembly on 29 March 1865 (Victorian Hansard, vol. 11, pp. 575-6). M evidently knew of the decision to place a sum on the estimates soon after his propsal was made; see M to J. McCulloch, 21 January 1865.
When M first proposed the sale of his library to the Governmernt, he reported that 'a highly competent judge has recently valued it at approximately £1100.-.-' (M to J. O'Shanassy, 15 August 1862). This amount was mentioned in the debate by George Verdon, Treasurer, who said it 'was thought highly advisable to take precautions that this collection should not be disposed of, and that Dr Mueller's liberality should not be unfairly taxed in the future'.
Letter not found; item is a register entry only, dated 10 January 1865, recording receipt of M’s letter dated 8 January.
Please cite as “FVM-65-01-08,” 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