Melbourne,
5 Oct. 1887.1
To the honorable Sir Samuel Davenport, K.C.M.G.,
President of the S.A. branch of the RGS.A., &c &c
Sir
At a meeting of the Victorian Council of the R.G.S.A., held two days ago, I was requested by my Colleagues at the instance of Mr Wilkinson, who on behalf of your Council honored us with his presense, to convey respectfully to you our desire, that the S.A. Council should communicate through your Government with that of W.A., in seeking so far support for the intended further exploration of Central Australia, as to recognize the practical and remunerative value of the forthcoming enterprise by conceding a promise, to secure that portion of the map of diaries of the expedition, which will pertain to W.A, at a modest subsidy, to be rendered, when these documents finally or progressively become available.
The Council here begs also to convey its best thanks to all the promoters of this new exploit in S.A., and especially to the hon. Sir Th. Elder, G.C.MG., and to the hon. Mr Angas, who so leadingly have offered their generous aid. The Delegates from the Victorian geogr. Council at the Adelaide Conference have already expressed our desire, that this expedition should be made one under the joint auspices of the two Colonies and I am now to add, that such funds, as here may be raised will be placed at the disposal of the S.A. Council, as the outfit and disbursements can best be effected in your colony, the total of the Victorian subscriptions amounting hitherto to about £150. You will be aware, that the President of the Society Sir Edward Strickland, K.C.B, is kindly using his influence for the furtherance of this expedition in N.S.W. — Most regretably the Chevalier Giles, through want of early support, has suddenly entered into private engagements in the Kimberley-District, for some months at least and perhaps for a period, not exactly definable;2 and thus the grave question arises, whether this most favorable season should thus far be lost, or the command be offered to an other Explorer, however much we would prefer Mr G. services.
Very obediently your
Ferd. von Mueller.
M may have mis-dated this letter; see M to A. Macdonald, 6 October 1887 (in this edition as 87-10-06a).
WA. Ernest Giles had evidently despaired of the likelihood of sufficient funds being raised for the proposed expedition and with W. H. J. Carr-Boyd had gone 'on a gold seeking expedition to the Kimberley district' (Brisbane courier, 17 October 1887, p. 4). The planned expedition did not take place, although an expedition not sponsored by the Geographical Societies led by W. Tietkens to the same area went out in 1889 (Tietkens (1890)). For the circumstances, see W. Tietkens to M, 24 November 1887, and notes thereto.
Please cite as “FVM-87-10-05a,” 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