6.5.95
My dear Baron
I telegraphed you as requested.1 I am very sorry that our funds are in so low a condition, but such being the case, I know it would be useless placing such a request before the Board:2 as a matter of fact the latter has been absolutely unable to send out Collectors to fill up gaps in our collections, or even to keep up our supply of duplicates for the last two years & a half. I wish I could write otherwise: […] that can be done, is in the future, & that is not even certain, to make such purchases from Mr Fitzgerald,3 of objects we may require, should he carry out his contemplated journey. We are again on the eve of, financially, we know not what, & I feel assured that the Board will not commit itself to expenses of the nature you describe.
I am
my dear Baron,
Faithfully your
R. Etheridge
Baron Sir F. v. Mueller
Govt. Botanist
Melbourne
Please cite as “FVM-95-05-06b,” 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