To Léon Dejardin   14 November 1890

Melbourne,

14 Nov. 1890

To the Chevalier De Jardin,

Consul General for France &c &c

 

Allow me, dear Consul, to approach you on a subject, which is very painful to me, and which — from what I suddenly learn this day — requires some explanation of my own. I notice just from a weekly journal, that at the geographic meeting on Friday last1 or subsequently some offensive remarks occurred, of which I never heard before. If they were made at the meeting, I did not hear them, otherwise I would at once have risen, and pronounced such expressions as highly improper. After the Rev. Mr. Macdonald, who unfortunately against my special request drifted into politics, had read his remarks, I at once rose; and emphaticallly gave it as my opinion, "that I was convinced, the French Government would with sanctity see the convention maintained, entered into with Britain, and that I felt also sure, the Government of the French Republic would remove any difficulties and any causes, which might lead to injustice or hinder progress of settlement, if clearly pointed out."

As usual the extempore remarks of Speakers are not reported by the press, as they are too long for record, and thus you and your compatriots can not be aware of the position, which in justice to France I took at the meeting.

It was only this morning, that I learn of the subjects, brought forward by Mr. Macdonald, having become matter of official correspondence,2 and I take the earliest opportunity of expressing to you as the dignified representative of France my sorrow, that anything, arising from the last geographic gathering should have hurt your and your compatriotes feelings in any way.

It was only expected, that the missionary Macdonald, as he happened to be in Melbourne, should supplement the itinerary observation [...]3 Lindt.

I spoke myself to the Rev. Gentleman, insisting that no political opinions should be brought before any geographic meeting; and had I been able, to see his manuscript, I would have struck out some of the passages, as I have done on a former occasion, and so far as hurtful they certainly shall not appear in the proceedings of our geographic branch society here.

Be so kind, to convey these sentiments to the Government of your great country, and allow me to reiterate my assurance, that I shall always endeavour, as I have done during the last 36 years, to promote in my small professional and departmental way, also rural and scientific, the interests of the great nation, in which I have so many science-friends, and from which I experienced so many acts of generosity!

Regardfully your

Ferd. von Mueller

1
Two papers were given at the meeting of the Royal Geographical Society of Australasia (Vic. Branch) on 7 November 1890. The first was by J. Lindt on his ascent of the Tanna volcano in the New Hebrides and the second was by the Rev. D. Macdonald on the condition of affairs in that group. The Argus (Melbourne) reported that Macdonald 'advocated that France should either join with Britain in framing and enforcing equally upon all Europeans all necessary New Hebrides laws as to land, labour, and trade, or yield any claim to the islands in consideration for the concession of territory in some other part of the world. In the meantime, he urged that Australia should insist upon the spirit of the existing convention or joint protectorate being wholly observed, so that in every respect British subjects in the New Hebrides should be placed on an equal footing with the French, and that France must either grant Australia her rights or recede from the convention.' See Argus 8 November 1890, p. 9.
2
M's anxiety may have been prompted by a report in that morning's Argus (p. 9) of a discussion the previous day at the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Victoria concerning the situation in the New Hebrides. Here, reference was made to agitation in the Victorian Legislative Council by James Service 'to induce the French, German and American Governments to come into the same arrangements with regard to the prohibition of these articles' (i.e. guns and intoxicating liquors) as the British Government already imposed on its citizens, and to responses received from those governments.
3
illegible.

Please cite as “FVM-90-11-14,” 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 10 May 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/vonmueller/letters/90-11-14