Office of Lands and Survey
Melbourne. 15th Decr 1869.
Sir,
Referring to the correspondence which has taken place relative to the engagement of Mr Ferguson,1 I request you will be good enough at once to recognize the position assigned to Mr Ferguson, as defined in the Surveryor General's letter of the 7th inst.2 and that you will, without further correspondence, or difficulty, afford Mr Ferguson all information necessay for his guidance in superintending, under your directions, the operations of the laborers and gardeners employed on your staff —
I have the honor to be,
Sir,
Your most obedient Servant,
James McKean
Commissioner of Crown Lands & Survey3
Dr F. Von Mueller
Government Botanist &c
Botanic Garden,
Melbourne.
William Ferguson.
J. McKean to M, 1 November 1869, had reported, as the Commissioner of Crown Lands and Survey, that he had instructed Ferguson to call on M to inspect the Garden and see the works on which the men were employed. A. Skene to M, 7 December 1869, emphasized that the arrangements were not a judgement on M's 'efforts and attainments in the more highly scientific branches of your Office', but intended 'to relieve you from active supervision of practical operations in the Garden'. M apparently refused to do as asked when Ferguson arrived, and he was again instructed to do so in J. Lewis to M, 10 December 1869.
Also on 15 December, J. Lewis wrote to Ferguson directing him to 'proceed to Dr. Von Mueller's residence to receive your instructions from him accordingly' (Unit 3, p. 290, VPRS 7936/P1, Public Record Office, Victoria).
Please cite as “FVM-69-12-15,” 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