To Edward Strickland   10 October 1885

10/10/85.

Last evening, dear Sir Edward, we held here a Council-meeting,¹ and this reminds me, that I still owe you an answer to your last kind letter.² We here will endeavour to get the vote renewed, and with some care may succeed in this for one year more.³ Three days ago I received a first letter direct from Mr Forbes,⁴ and this I laid yesterday before the council here.

We have reason, to set great hope on him! He opened the correspondence himself, which is easily understood, as he is much versed in the knowledge of plants himself, and as Sir P. Scratchley gave his own collector over to Mr Forbes's Expedition.⁵ I had merely sent my little work on "Papuan plants"⁶ to that distinguished Gentleman, and so he sent me a letter of acknowledgement, out of which the Council here ordered such passages to be published in the daily journals here, as would interest the general public.⁷ He goes evidently about in the best and safest way, advancing on the Owen Stanley's Range by the Sugaire line.⁸ He writes, that the first set of his plants is to go to the British Museum, the second to the geographic Society of Australasia. As your Council so considerately ordered the bot collections of our Explorers to be handed for examination and subdivision over to me, it would be important that any sendings from the Expeditions should be forwarded to me at once after arrival in Sydney, so that we may with this part of the Expedition's work as early as possible be before the public. Mr Forbes writes, that at the British Museum the officers are so overwhelmed with work, that he looks to me for the elaboration of his plants. I will therefore communicate with Mr Carruthers and Mr Britten, so that a clear understanding is arrived at, whether they wish me to cede to them any particular families of plants for elaboration.⁹ Mr Carruthers is a specialist in ferns and therefore I shall leave them entirely to him. Mr Forbes further remarks, that the Kew Establishment has not claimed any portions of his collections, which is in accordance with a former expression of Sir Joseph Hooker, that the elucidation of the Papuan flora, (as so much connected with that of North Australia) ought to fall to my share. Mr Forbes writes in a manner, as a true son of science would; and as our correspondence will be mainly phytological, I hope you will not there object to my remaining in direct letter communication with him.

Let me hope, that in this mild spring weather the excellent Mr Maiden will become quite well again. His intention, to come to Victoria, seems not to have been followed up; our cold antarctic breezes may also be against him in the South. He intended to bring Mr Bäuerlen's plants, sent from Thursday-Island;¹⁰ so it would be best if they were forwarded by rail now.¹¹

Regardfully your

Ferd von Mueller

What is your idea there, dear Sir Edward, about the issue of all our publications?¹² Would it not expedite matters, if each branch looked after its own issues, but that in Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide a fixed number of extracopies, all printed in conformity, were prepared for transmission to Sydney, where they could be bound up into the yearly or halfyearly volumes of the Society.

If at any time I should be guilty of any short comings to the Central Executive Council, or if an apparent want of loyalty should occur, you must be assured, my honored friend, that such will not be real and intentional shortcomings; but in my large and ramified Department, I get often overpowered by work, and may thus be utterly unable to be so attentive as I wish. The day has only 24 hours for all of us; I wish often it had 48! and in that little time of life likely left me, I like to carry out a little progressive work in science yet, irrespective of routine-work. So I hope, that I may become the Society's expounder also of some portion of the Papuan Flora.

Let me hope, dear Sir Edward, that you are happy and well, and remember me kindly also to our excellent Colleagues of the Sydney-Council.