Adelaide, 18th June, 1891.
Baron Sir F. von Mueller, K.C.M.G., Melbourne, Vicoria.
My dear Baron,
Re Antractic Exploring Expedition. Your telegram of afternoon of 17th inst.1 reached me this morning. It was placed in Sir Thomas Elder’s hands upon his reaching his office. He expresses himself quite satisfied as to the question of cost of the expedition and the amount absolutely requisite, so that as soon as the £5,000 in full is actually assured (beyond Baron Dickson’s £5,000 and his own £5,000), Sir Thomas is prepared to hand over the proposed donation. I regret that our Parliament has rejected the proposal to aid the funds of the Expedition. However, the success of the venture is virtually assured.
Please convey our thanks to the Swedish Consul-General2 for his courteous and kindly assistance in this matter; and with many thanks again for your own trouble,
Yours very faithfully,
A. T. Magarey, Hon. Sec.
P.S.—I believe the Count3 would reach Melbourne to-day.—A.T.M.
Telegram not found.
H. Gundersen.
Count Wachtmeister, who had travelled to Adelaide to visit Sir Thomas Elder.
Letter not found. For the text given here, see Swedish-Australasian Antarctic Expedition. Correspondence with the Hon. Sir Thomas Elder, G.C.M.G. and with the Royal Academy of Science Stockholm, privately printed, ‘Only to be perused by the Members of the Antarctic Committee’, 22 July 1892 (X919.45 MAC, Library, Royal Historical Society of Victoria, Melbourne), p. 5.
Please cite as “FVM-91-06-18c,” 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