Draft
Sir
In reply to yr letter of the 8th Instant1 addressed to His Excellency the Governor asking to be allowed to select a portion of land lying between Perth & Fremantle on behalf of Mr Giles2 to whom the right of selection of 2000 acres was given in appreciation of his services as an Explorer I have the honor in reply to inform you that the land in question is set apart as Commonage for the city of Perth & cannot be granted —
I am likewise instructed to acquaint you that there are not in the country lying between Perth & Fremantle any blocks of land to the extent of 2000 acres available.
[...]3
Baron Von Müeller
See M to H. Ord, 8 November 1878.
Ernest Giles.
There is no signature on the file copy.
Letter dated and correspondent inferred from the notes on the file and from M to R. Goldsworthy, 26 December 1878. On 25 November 1878, C. D. Price minuted: 'The land asked for by Baron Von Mueller is the Perth Commonage — it is the only Crown Land adjacent to Perth and the Fremantle & Perth Railway will run through it'. On 26 November 1878, Goldsworthy minuted: 'This will, I suppose, be the reply to Baron Von Müeller'. There is a further minute with the same date, probably by the Governor, H. Ord: 'Write to the Baron to this effect'.
Please cite as “FVM-78-11-26a,” 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