Sydney, May 23 18851
| TELEGRAM from MELBOURNE Station, |
Addressed to Edwd Pulsford Secy Geographical Socy Sy.2 |
Never recommended Frogatt as botanist advised by telegram of his being Second Zoologist thirteenth May3 he is unacquainted with plants to save money best not send Gardener
(Signed) Baron Von Mueller
Telegraph Office date stamp.
Secretary Geographical Society Sydney.
See M to E. Pulsford, 13 May 1885.
Froggatt expressed his embarrassment and disappointment in his treatment in a letter to the New Guinea Exploration Committee dated 22 May 1885, saying he had called at the office that morning only to be told that he might not be required 'because I was not a scientific botanist. I never pretended to be, nor do my certificates state anything to that effect. I applied for the post of Entomologist and Naturalist, and had satisfactory reason to believe that I was accepted, Sir Edward Strickland, and the Secretary [Edward Pulsford] both told me so verbally, and I have your official appointment. … If you make me the offer, though not a scientific botanist I have a good practical knowledge of preserving & and packing botanical specimens, am versed in the classification of plants in their Natural Orders and have a good knowledge of the vegetation of North Queensland.' (Royal Australian Historical Society, Sydney). Froggatt was eventually appointed special zoological collector and zoological assistant to the expedition.
Please cite as “FVM-85-05-23,” 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