Lee Lodge,
Strangeways Terrace, W.A.1
4 Aug: 1887
My dear Baron,
Many thanks for your kind telegram just received.2 I would have wired you yesterday on my arrival but I was uncertain as to my movements — Friends here are particularly anxious I should remain until after next Wednesday night3 & I having arranged for our "Ellengowan" to meet me at Cooktown4 on the 10 Sep. I shall have time — It would afford me much pleasure & satisfaction to be present at your Council meeting on Tuesday evening but, on that day I have arranged to meet a number of ministers. 5
I shall be able to spend some time in Melbourne & so shall have opportunity of conferring with you.
I enjoyed my visit home very much indeed & have returned much benefitted.
Very kind regards
Believe me my dear Baron
Yours most truly
James Chalmers
North Adelaide? Chalmers, originally booked on RMS Orient to Sydney, left the vessel when it arrived in Adelaide on 3 August, and intended to remain a few days before travelling by train to Melbourne, where he planned to 'meet the leading members of the Royal Geographical Society of Australasia … and come to a settlement with them with respect to explorations he may make under the auspices of the Society' (('The Rev James Chalmers in Adelaide', South Australian register, 4 August, p. 5).
Telegram not found.
10 August. While in Adelaide he lectured at a meeting of the SA Branch of the Society on 9 August ('Lecture on New Guinea', South Australian register, 10 August, p. 5).
Qld.
Chalmers arrived in Melbourne by train on 13 August ('NEW GUINEA AND ITS PROSPECTS. the rev. james chalmer's views.', Argus, 15 August, 1887, p. 7) and met the Council of the Society at its meeting on 15 August ('royal geographical society' Age (Melbourne), 20 August, 1867, p. 15). Despite his reported intention to enter into an arrangement with the Council (n. 2 above), at a lecture by Chalmers at the Collins Street Independent Church on 23 August, M is reported to have 'expressed the regret of the Geographical Society, that Mr Chalmers could not lead their exploring expedition, but Mr. Chalmers is before all things a missionary, treading in the steps of Livingstone' ('chalmers on new guinea', Herald (Melbourne), 24 August 1887. p. 4).
MS annotation by M: 'Rec & answ 7/8/87.' Letter not found.
Please cite as “FVM-87-08-04,” 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