2/6/96.
Herewith, dear Mr Macdonald, I return Capt Gipps's letter,1 and as it would always be best, to commence any such arrangement at the beginning of a chronological year, my advise is now, to keep the whole subject in abeyance til the end of 1896. Meanwhile perhaps still prearrangements can be made. We must also avoid, that a party-feeling arises of 2 Branches against a third or perhaps fourth. I have myself some misgivings, that the return from advertisements will not be large. It is otherwise with a publishing firm, such as you suggest for handing over the journal to, as a business-Institution has arrangements for gathering and getting defrayed advertisements
Meanwhile we will see, what success may attend our movement for lecturing in different towns. The whole matter must of course be dealt with by the Council (in pleno), but I gladly give you my own views, though our Colleagues may decide other wise.2
Very regardfully your
Ferd von Mueller
Please cite as “FVM-96-06-02,” 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