Melbourne bot. Garden
24/3/72
Sir
I have the honor to submit a communication from the Academy of sciences of Chicago1 from which it will be seen that the Academy is anxious to restore the library and other collections, destroyed by the great conflagration. I venture therefore to submit on my part, whether the series of my works, presented formerly to the Academy by the Victorian Government may not be restored.
I have the honor to be, Sir, your obed. servant
Ferd. von Mueller
Direct. botan Garden
The honorable the Chief Secretary
The transmission, if it is desired, can be effected by me through my Californian correspondents.
MS accompanied by a 4-page circular 'To the Friends and Correspondents of the Chicago Academy of Sciences', dated Chicago, 30 October 1871, and signed by the Academy's President, J. W. Foster, and Secretary, Wm. Stimpson. The circular reported that the Academy's building, 'with all its movable property, records and effects, and the scientific materials which had been accumulated since its origin', had been totally destroyed in the great Chicago fire of 9 October of that year, and gave details of the scientific and other materials that had been lost.
The file also includes a requisition, M to Government Printer's Office, 24 March 1872 (in this edition as 72-03-24a), listing the works required.
The file was initialled by Duffy as 'Appd'.
Please cite as “FVM-72-03-24,” 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