Melbourne bot Garden
28/5/69
I cannot sufficiently thank you, dear Capt. Standish, for the vigorous and circumspect arrangements, which were made to protect the building, in which I reside, against the supposed attacks; and the occurrence has had the advantage to put me on my guard, as after all an isolated building might at any time be subjected to ransacking.1
Will you please to convey to the Officers and members of your department my expression of admiration of their prudent, persevering & brave conduct, and allow me to ask, whether any rules of yours would disallow my rewarding the exertions of the members to a small extent from my private means. If so, I will be happy to send what I thought to distribute to yourself, so that you might kindly disburse it for me, at your own kind discretion.
With grateful regards your
Ferd. von Mueller2
No other reference has been found to the supposed attacks.
On 28 May, Standish referred M's letter to Sub-Inspector Ryall: 'I have replied that I will convey Dr von Mueller's thanks to the members of the Detective Force concerned but that I do not consider it case in wh I can sanction their receiving a gratuity in recognition of their services'. Ryall replied on the same day: 'Noted and returned, the Detective Police performed a simple matter of duty in this case'.
Please cite as “FVM-69-05-28,” 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