From Redmond Barry   9 March 1871

Melbourne Public Library

March 9th 1871

Sir

I have the honor in reply to your letter¹ and the subject of our conversation to inform you — that having conferred with the Industrial & Technological Committee I learn that they have Resolved

That the claim for payment by them for the services of Mr Hoffmann — in addition to what they have already paid — cannot be admitted.

That they do not intend at present to authorize the employment of any person except the men engaged in the museum.

With respect to the proposed printing of he Appendix to your lecture they recognize fully the value of the information it supplies and acknowledge the labor you have been so good as to bestow on it. Still deprecating wholly any intention to criticize the work adversely they do not consider it advisable to print it in its present form. They would be content to accept thankfully a much condensed document confined to an alphabetical enumeration of Woods grown in or capable of being grown in or imported as timber into Victoria, with a brief mention of the industrial uses to which each kind can be applied.²

They venture to submit that such an appendix printed under the authority of your great experience would be of real use & prove very acceptable to those sufficiently enterprising to incur the expense trouble or risk of introducing from abroad new varieties of trees or plants of actual Commercial value as well as those inclined to apply to industrial purposes the indigenous vegetation or that already acclimatized.

I have the honor to be

Sir

Your obedient Servant

Redmond Barry

President³

To F. Von Mueller Esq

M.D. F.R.S

&c &c &c