27/2/94.
You were so attentive, dear Dr Dyer, to send me the print of the able remarks, made by Sir Joseph on Mr Murrays antarctic essay, which latter I have since read in the RG.S. volume, and which seems fully to demonstrate on geologic and other physiographic observations, that a real large continent exists within the antarctic Circle.1 Sir Josephs remarks are most telling, as he is now the only Survivor among the Officers of the famous "antarctic expedition".2 He as well as you may be interested in the byefollowing print3 which records that for the first time since the colonisation of Australia a steam-whaler has come to this part of the words,4 doubtless to be followed by a whole flotilla of Whaling and Sealing Ships in subsequent years.
The Victorian branch of the RGSA5 has since its inception, about a dozen years ago, advocated keenly the hunting of the antarctic whales and seales, all the more necessary as a new branch of industry at this time of financial depression of Australia. So far the Steamer now in our harbour is the first outcome of our persevering and pushing exertions here in the RGSA.
I fear, that Mr Murray's appeal with all the support it received at the RGS. will not bring any practical results, as it seems very unlikely that any British Ministry will incur the expenditure of such an expedition, as Murray indicates, in these troubled time, when public confidence through Anarchisms is much shaken throughout all Europe, and when still a bellicose feeling exists extensively there, so that in every country additional large demands on the [no]bl[e]6 exchequer are made for further extension of Armament[s.]7 We must therefore at all events for a while rest contented in having got so far that a number of whaling ships will enter on the real antarctic scene, to augment our scientific information also. Let us hope, that Britain will send many "Scoresbyes"8 to the furtest9 South, so that the nation, to which I gave allegiance since 1847 will early and prominently enter on antarctic researches through scientifically inclined Whalers.
Kindly show this letter to Sir Joseph.10
With regardful greeting to both of you
Ferd von Mueller.
J. Murray (1894) and the accompanying discussion of the paper. Joseph Hooker’s contribution to the discussion is on pp. 27–9.
James Clark Ross's expedition on Erebus and Terror, 1839-43.
Enclosure is a newscutting headed: 'Whaling in the South Seas | Arrival of the Steamer Antarctic.' MS annotation by M: '26/2/[94]' [the year has been cut off]. The vessel, the steamer Antarctic, was a Norwegian one, captained by L. Kristensen; see Age, 26 February 1894, p. 5.
world?
Royal Geographical Society of Australasia.
editorial addition — obscured by binding.
editorial addition — obscured by binding.
Scoresbys? William Scoresby Snr. and William Scoresby Jr.
farthest?
Dyer evidently sent the letter to Joseph Hooker, as it is not filed among the Directors' Correspondence but among the letters that Hooker received after stepping down from the Directorship.
Date stamped: Royal Gardens Kew 2. Apr. 94.
Please cite as “FVM-94-02-27,” 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