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From Ferdinand von Mueller to John Brooking   3 Apr 1887

Melbourne,

3/4/87.

The Hon. J. Brooking Esqr

Acting Commissioner of Crownlands.

In reply to your letter 619,1 dear Mr Brooking, I beg to inform you, that as your W.A. Government is at present not prepared, to assist in explorations towards Lake Amadeus2 within your territory also, this proposition has been not further followed up by any communications to the South Australian Government.

Sooner or latter3 of course all that country will be surveyed also, and be rendered available in many places for settlements and contribute to the revenue of WA also

It seems to me a pity, that the talents and experiences of Mr Giles4 cannot be rendered early again useful for explorations in Central Australia. I know of no other means now, than his acquiring a position as Resident Magistrate somewhere near the boundary of West and South Australia, to secure his services.

Regardfully your

Ferd. von Mueller

I had a very kind letter from Mr Forrest5 lately, written at the Mediterranean Sea. Had I known, that you were his "locum tenens", I would have congratulated you, as I had the pleasure of meeting you in 1877.6

Best thanks for notes on recent surveys

1

See J. Brooking to M, 10 March 1887.

2

NT.

3

later?

4

Ernest Giles.

5

John Forrest. Letter not found.

6

M spent about 10 weeks in WA from mid-October 1877, during which he had some support from the WA Government (Dowe (2023).

7

MS annotation: '15.4.87'.

Please cite as “FVM-87-04-03a,” 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 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/vonmueller/letters/87-04-03a