It was a bold step on my part to call forth a Ladies' Committee, as we have no precedent for such an organization; but it has proved successful, and I believe that in future we may rely upon the ladies for assisting in many other philanthropic objects in a similar manner. Should a spirited leader be found for the expedition, and a sufficient fund, I have no doubt that the enterprise will be afterwards carried on by successive private contributions and occasional Government subsidies, until Leichhardt's fate is fully known, and therewith the greater part of the yet unknown western interior explored.
Letter not found. The text given here is from Proceedings of the Royal Geographical Society, vol. 9 (1865), pp. 304 (B65.08.21). It is one of a group of letters introduced by 'An account of the agitation, set on foot in Melbourne, for a new expedition in search of Leichhardt, or further traces of him, is given in the following extracts of letters from Dr. Mueller to Sir Roderick Murchison. This extract is introduced by 'On the 24th of February Dr Mueller again writes:—'.
The RGS in due course contributed £200 to the expedition.
Please cite as “FVM-65-02-24e,” 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