Ferdinand von Mueller

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MS is a file copy.

C.S.O.

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Colonial Secretary's Office.

Hobart Town 9 May 1860

Sir,

In acking

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acknowledging.

the favor of yr letter of the 27 ult., & thanking you for yr friendly offers of assistance, I have now the pleasure of acquainting you that full particulars have been received by last mail of the shipment of the ova, per "S. Curling", Emigrant Ship, which vessel left Liverpool on 25 Feby last.

The management of the affair will involve a deal of nice judgment, & we shall gladly avail ourselves of yr kind offer, & of any suggestions that may occur to you.

The gentlemen in England have imposed a great additional burthen upon us by sending the consignment via Melbourne, instead of to the Port of discharge, & the magnitude of the apparatus is so great as to almost preclude the notion of transhipment. The pains & expense incurred by them are great indeed, & with the employment of an experienced Supdt

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Superintendent.

justify the most sanguine expectation that when the ship shall reach Melbourne, the venture will prove up to that point to be successful. But we are then met with the obstacle that from the difficulty of transhipping so large & carefully arranged a structure, we must of necessity come to terms with the Captain for bringing on his vessel to Hobart Town, after discharging his Melbourne cargo for the purpose of landing the ova on the spot. This arrangement we have already by the present mail put in train through our Agents Messrs Gilles, Nicholson, & Co of Melbourne.

The first step, however, in the proceeding we beg to confide to you, viz, to ascertain the vitality of the ova; or of a sufficient quantity to justify the great expense involved in chartering the vessel for this supplementary voyage.

The gentlemen here, including Dr Milligan, who have favored us with their views on the question, some of whom are practically well informed on the subject, have recommended that from 800 to 1000 healthy ova should be deemed a sufficient quantity to justify the Govt in engaging in this expense, & to this opinion the Government have subscribed.

In asking you to satisfy yrself on the condition of the ova in conjunction with Mr Black

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Alexander Black. Black, 'an intelligent sailor' according to Youl (1860), was in charge of the ova during their voyage to Australia.

& such gentlemen as you may deem it desirable to consult, I have to request the favor of yr giving in yr report to the Shipping Agents Messrs Gilles, Nicholson & Co as their guide for acting on the instructions furnished from this office.

I need hardly say that the detention of the vessel whilst discharging her inward cargo, adds considerably to the risk of our importation; & allowing that Mr Black will continue his care & superintendence during that delay, yet it makes it highly desirable to learn at the earliest period if the Captain of the "S. Curling" will undertake the voyage to Hobart Town, or only upon such extravagant terms as make their acceptance impossible.

In the latter case the transhipment should of course be at once seen to, & the "City of Hobart" steamer may perhaps be in harbor at about that time, & would form a comparatively favorable opportunity, much better than an ordinary sailing vessel.

I may perhaps ask the favor of having a line from you on arrival of the vessel, reporting the aspect of affairs, & such remarks as you may please to offer as to the propriety of changing the water in the tank, or otherwise, a fresh supply of ice, &c.

I may refer you for a minute description of the apparatus on board to Mr Youl's letter in the Australian & New Zealand Gazette, p. 226, Mar. 17.

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Youl (1860).

[Dr.] Mueller

Bot Gardens,

Melbourne.