7/4/92
After receiving your kind letter this morning,1 dear Commandeur Archer, I wrote and sent a letter to the Under Secretary,2 pointing out, that I recognize gratefully the kind efforts made by the science-Societies and particularly the Deputation on behalf of my Department, but that I would keep the collections safe and under utilisation for the £400 left me as working expenses; but that I should feel most thankful if young French3 could remain with me at the additional expense of £128 -. -. annually
I was of course not really hostile to the movement on my behalf, but I was afraid, it was inopportune, as Mr M’Lean and his Colleagues time is just now taken up by the elections extra, — as the new estimates are only framed in May or June, and as I was frighten,4 that the discussions by the Deputation before Reporters might lead to new expressions against the Ministry also possible5 to public suggestion too rashly made. Perhaps you like to send this letter for perusal to our friend Prof Spencer.6
Regardfully always your
Ferd. von Mueller
Letter not found.
Letter not found. A deputation from the Royal Society of Victoria met the Chief Secretary on 7 April,
and strongly urged that the sum of money to be set aside for the Government Botanist's department should be increased from £1200 to £1500 a year. Mr. M'Lean remarked that the matter had been carefully considered by the Cabinet before the retrenchment was agreed upon; but in view of the strong representations made by the society he would again bring the matter under the notice of his colleagues (Age, 8 April 1892, p. 4).
Charles H. French.
frightened?
possibly?
W. Baldwin Spencer.
Please cite as “FVM-92-04-07,” 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