From Hans Gundersen   24 March 1890

Consulate

for

Sweden and Norway,

Melbourne .

Melbourne, the 24 March 1890¹

Dear Sir,

Baron Nordenskiold's address,² delivered before the Royal Swedish Academy of Science on the 8th of January last, gives the history of the plan to a Swedish-Victorian Antarctic Expedition, referring first to a letter of 1887 from the Agent General for Victoria in London, with a telegram from the "Antarctic Exploration Committee of the Royal Society of Victoria" to the following effect: "Antarctic. Communicate direct with Baron Nordenskiöld. Would he feel disposed to cooperate local Society, each furnishing one vessel, Baron Nordenskiold commanding? etc³ and also with a program for such expedition, made out by the said Committee, — thereafter mentioning your speech in the Royal Geographical Society of Australasia the 2nd September last,⁴ and my subsequent letter to the Swedish Foreign Department. — He thereafter shortly exposes, what benefit and scientific results may be hoped from such an expedition, in the solution of different geodetic, hydrographic, meteorologic, magnetic and other geophysic questions, also alluding to practical results for hunting, whaling and fishing. — Finally he states, that having deliberated the matter with Baron Oscar Dickson, this nobleman has promised his pecuniary assistance to covering half the costs, on condition that the other half, not above £5000, be forthcoming from Australasia. And herewith Baron Nordenskiold concluded, recommending the Antarctic Expedition, that he calculates will sail from Sweden in 1891, to the Royal Swedish Academy of Science, which will, he hopes, give to this Expedition the same amount of valuable help and assistance as to the previous Arctic Expeditions. (This assistance has in former cases been very important, consisting in loan of scientific instruments, charts, books, necessaries for gathering and conserving plants and animals, exhibitions to young men of science etc. etc.).

Supposing that it will yet take some considerable time, before the Royal Geographical Society of Australasia can give a definite answer to the Swedish proposal, I venture to ask, if it might be possible for you, already at this stage of the affair, to give me, preliminarily, an idea of the prospects for realisation of the plan or your privat opinion as to the probability of obtaining, from any source, the desired Australian subsidy? Although it is nowhere expressly said, I am strongly under the impression that the Swedish now calculate upon this subsidy as a matter of course and are already commencing their preparations for the Antarctic Expedition.

I have the honour to remain,

Sir,

yours most respectfully,

H. Gundersen

To Baron Ferd. von Mueller,

K.C.M.G. M & Ph. D. F.R.S. etc. etc. etc.