Melbourne
1/4/85.
Capt. Fayenz &c,
Commander of the Imperial Austrian Corvette "Saida".
Sir
I have the honor to inform you, that I have been instructed by the hon. James Service, the Premier Minister of Victoria,1 to transmit to you on behalf of the Victorian Government the following contributions towards the collections of the Imperial scientific Institutions of Vienne, with which kindred Gov. establishments of the Colony Victoria are in literary relation and material interchanges:
Two growing Todea-ferns, weighing about 1000 lb each.
12 living ferntree-stems of Dicksonia Billardierii.
one case of Victorian woodspecimens, worked up into technical articles.
one case of dried Australian plants.
In making this presentation by Order of the Government of this Colony, I beg to assure you, that it will be always gratifying to the scientific establishments of this Colony, to remain in communication with the great Institutions of the Austrian empire for the advancement of learning and applied knowledge.
For the maintenance of this scientific relation the visit of his Imperial Austrian Majesty's Ship "Saida", under your able Command, afforded also particular facility; and I feel, that similar auspicious visits of Ships of the Imperial Austrian Navy in future years will here always be hailed with delight, as particularly calculated to connect also more and more the scientific and industrial interests of her Britannic Majestys young Australian colonies with those of a great continental empire, in which arts and sciences florished through very many centuries.
I have the honor, Sir,
to be your obedient servant
Ferd. von Mueller.2
Please cite as “FVM-85-04-01,” 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 27 April 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/vonmueller/letters/85-04-01