To William Thiselton-Dyer   16 September 1887

16/9/87

In answer to your very considerate last letter,¹ dear Mr Dyer, let me say, that I had not the slightest knowledge of Mr Forbes's arrangements, concerning the mode [of]² distribution of his plants in Europe, nor did I exercise any influence either directly or indirectly on the distribution. The Rev W. G. Lawes of Port Moresby Mission Station acted kindly as Agent for the R.G.S. of Austr, and through his influence, the second best set (therefore not a complete series) came to Melbourne, which set must be subdivided between the bot. institutions of the three colonies, from which the votes were obtained, out of which [o]n [r]ig[ht]³ proportion £500 were given to Mr Forbes, this second set of bot specimens being the only return, as we did not even get a sketch-map or any extracts from diaries. Now, my generous friend, you must consider the wide difference for collecting fund from private institutions and obtaining fund from the public exchequer through Parliament In the one case, there is no responsibility, in the other the greatest possible responsibility, and here under the vigilance of a very exacting press! Englishmen in Australia, and I consider myself one of them since my 40 years naturalisation, are not unreasonable; all we wanted here, feeling our responsibility to the local Parliament, and the equally watchful local journals, that we should fairly share in the proceeds of F’s Expedition. That the arrangements with him could not renewed, was because he wanted £2000 for one season for the lowlands or uplands; the High Commissioner had promised a subsidy for the lowlands track across the peninsula, while we here wanted highlands exploration, and we had simply not £2000.⁴ I will do all I can also as regards New Guinea supplies for the great Kew Department, but give me a little more time, as the Field Naturalists here press me for the “Key to the Syst of Vict. Plants”⁵ for use still this spring, and altho’ the printing has commenced, the work cannot appear for some weeks yet. When Cuthbertson's and Sayer's plants arrive, I will methodically go through the whole Papuan Collections, and make up as good a set for you as I can.

Our new expedition will give us the plants of the third and 4th zone, but not yet that of the fifth, which we must try to grasp next year, and the elucidation of all this shall be my swan song!⁶

Kindly tell Sir Joseph, that we push antarctic exploration, because we wish to increase the revenue, trade and manufactures of these colonies, and see the now greatly unsuccessful whaling in the north through steamers carried to the promising fields of the S. It was on my proposition that an antarct. Committee was here formed, and as mover of the resolution, I could have claimed the Presidency, but on my own free impulse I moved a celebrated Naval Surveyor into the chair, our senior naval Officer,⁷ an accomplished Astronomer and a religious man, whose father as flag-Lieut. of Nelson at Trafalgar hoisted the celebrated and ever memorable signal, and whose son is one of the most brillant of navigating Lieutenants in the Royal Navy. The idea however of using in nightless time and calm weather Balloons for reconnoitering at various longitudes for triangulation beyond the ice-barrier arose with me. Only yesterday I urged on the Premier of N.S. Wales with my Colleagues a subsidy, which Sir Henry Parkes kindly promised. So we hope to see Sir Allen Young here out yet this season.

Of course, you will have read what I said in my two annual Presidential Discourses.⁸ The suggestion of Mr Goeschen being asked for some help was also emanating from me, his firm, Frühling & Goeschen then, transacted for me transits to the Continent in the 40-⁹ and -50 years of this century. We want thus to get profitable engagements also for the Scotish Whalers. Returning once more to the Forbes-affair, I must say in justice to my Colleagues, that no incivility was shown him, though some sternness in our administrating public fund. He has no reason to be so severe upon these colonies, particularly while he is an Officer of the High Commissioner, and thus solely sustained by the three colonies,¹⁰ which hitherto found the fund for the administration of British New Guinea.

With all good wishes for all at Kew your

Ferd von Mueller.

Should you meet the most generous of all the generous, Sir H. Barkly, will you kindly explain about the antarctics and about Forbes. I find, that I shall have no time for a long letter to him, til the Key¹¹ is out, for the Cherry trees &c are now here in full flower already.

I am to be at private luncheon at the Viceregal palace¹² tomorow, when antarctic[s] and New Guinea will also be the topic.¹³

I have written within the last few days written¹⁴ as a byework over hundred various letters with my own hand to leading colonist, so that Giles may finish off geographically Central Austr. within our first century.¹⁵