31/5/87
It has been suggested to me, my dear friend, by Mr Macdonald,1 that I should set your genius again into motion, by you writing for our next geogr. meeting2 an appeal for sending Mr Giles again into Central Australia.3
If you will do this, I shall be greatly pleased. When yesterday waiting with Mr Cuthbertson on the Governor,4 I had occasion to enlisten Lieut Officer's5 interest in this enterprise, and he promised to advocate subscribing among his Toorack-friends.6 If we could get £400 or £500 together, no subscriptions less than £10 should be accepted Mr Giles could start probably with a few companions, as the rail takes them already to Hergotts Spring.7 The South Austr. & West. Austr Governments would be sure, to give something for his mapping of their respective territories after Giles return.
Regardfully your
Ferd von Mueller
Alexander Cameron Macdonald.
The Victorian Branch of the Royal Geographical Society of Australasia.
In E. Giles to M, 9 May 1887, Ernest Giles had offered to lead such a party gratuitously, if it could be equipped. The proposal was discussed at the meeting of the Branch held in 9 August 1887 (Argus, 11 August 1887, p. 5); Giles was present at the meeting.
Henry Brougham Loch. The Victorian Branch of the Royal Geographical Society of Australia had just contracted with Cuthbertson to explore the Owen Stanley Range in New Guinea; see M to W. Cuthbertson, 28 May 1885. Loch attended some meetings of the Branch and occasionally chaired meetings on special topics.
Aide-de-camp to the Governor.
Toorak, an upper-class suburb of Melbourne.
Hergott Springs, now Marree, SA.
MS annotation by Shillinglaw: 'Recd 1.VI.87', 'Answered 1.VI.87 to Mr McDonald'.
Please cite as “FVM-87-05-31,” 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