From Ferdinand von Mueller to William MacGregor   12 Apr 1889

Melbourne, 12/4/89.

To his Excellency

Dr McGregor, C.M.G. &c &c

Governor of British New Guinea.

Since the receipt of your Excellency's telegram,¹ I have consulted with Mr A. C. McDonald² and some other members of the Victorian geographic Committee about the desired Highland-Exploration of British New Guinea and we beg to point out:

1, that the probability of the Vict. Branch of the RGS. obtaining a grant of £1000 again from the local Parliament for the finance-year 1889-1890 will be very much lessened, if we not well utilize our fund now.

2, that it is of great importance to our branch, that we should have the results of the intended New Guinean geographic work, for which £500..— are at disposal for highland-exploration, should be rendered available [...] in time to us, so that these results can be placed before the Australian Association for the advancement of science in time for the Melbourne-Meeting to be held early in January 1890.

3, that, should your Excellency's own wish to ascend the summits of the Owen Stanley's Ranges be frustrated in 1889 through other more urgent duties of your high and responsible office, we would wish to ascertain, whether the Rev. James Chalmers will undertake this glorious task, we being anyhow under some sort of promise to support such an expedition of his.

4, As we at this great distance cannot know, whether your Excellency may be absent from Port Moresby on the arrival of this letter, I am desired by those of my Geographic Colleagues, whom I could hurriedly consult, to write simultaneously on this subject to the Revd. Mess. Lawes and Chalmers also,³ in order that the season of 1889 may not be lost to us. Your Excellency will doubtless in the interest of N.G. progress generously support any separate expedition under the auspices of the V. branch of the R.G.S.A., as kindly done by the Hon. Mr Douglass regarding the ascent of Mt Obree.

With deep obedience

your

Ferd. von Mueller