From Ferdinand von Mueller to Thomas Wilson   2 May 1892

Melbourne,

2 May 1892.

T. R. Wilson Esqr

Under Secretary.

Sir

I have the honor to inform you, that during the last few months I had yet ten quarto-plates of Australian plants lithographed by the Artist,1 who for some years was engaged, to make drawings under my directions. As these ten drawings, finished in March, are the last, which can by me be issued under the altered means of the Department, I would beg to seek the permission of the hon. the Chief Secretary, that these drawings be printed in the Governm. Printing Office, as I have still a supply of lithographic paper, so that no expense for such will be incurred, and as a lithographic printer is available in Mr Brain's establishment. I further solicit, that the brief explanations of the plates may also be printed, and the whole be stitched under the designation: "Australian Candolleaceae."2

I have the honor to be,

Sir, your obedient servant

Ferd. von Mueller

Gov. Botanist.

A considerable sale of these works exists.

R. Graff.

See B93.02.04. On 2 May 1892, Wilson minuted: 'Perhaps the Government Printer can inform me what is the estimated cost of the work applied for herein'. The Government Printer, Robert Brain, replied on 4 July that the cost would 'be about £10'. The Chief Secretary, A. McLean, minuted his approval on 7 July and George Bell, for the Under Secretary, forwarded the news to M on the same day. The next day M returned the file 'with best thanks', and it was immediately forwarded to the Commissioners of Audit for their information.

See also M to T. Wilson, 31 August 1892 (in this edition is 92-08-31a), and M to T. Wilson, 25 February 1893.

Please cite as “FVM-92-05-02a,” 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 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/vonmueller/letters/92-05-02a