Document information
Physical location:
CSD1/45/891, Colonial Secretary's Office, Archives Office of Tasmania, Hobart. 60.06.19Preferred Citation:
Ferdinand von Mueller to Joseph Milligan, 1860-06-19. R.W. Home, Thomas A. Darragh, A.M. Lucas, Sara Maroske, D.M. Sinkora, J.H. Voigt and Monika Wells (eds), Correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller, <https://vmcp.rbg.vic.gov.au/id/60-06-19>, accessed September 11, 2025
Melbourne bot. & zool. Garden,
19. June 1860.
(Private)
Dear Dr Milligan
The bearer of these lines, whom I have the pleasure to introduce to you is Capt. Alex.
Black, the Gentleman, who conducted the enterprise of endeavouring to bring the Salmons
to your rivers.
The Chief Secretary of Tasmania having expressed a desire of seeing Capt. Black in
Hobarton,
that Gentleman now responds to the request, and I have no doubt that from his extensive
experience you may gain much valuable information in regard to the renewal of the
enterprise, as also advise for completing all prearrangements for locating & nourishing
future salmon-importations in your rivers.
1
See W. Henty to M, 14 June 1860, and M to W. Henty, 19 June 1860 (in this edition as 60-06-19a). Black was 'formerly of the Peninsula and Oriental Steam Company' from which the
title 'Captain' evidently derived (Sydney morning herald, 23 April 1860, p. 2).
2
After meeting Edward Henty, the Colonial Secretary, Black prepared a report on Tasmanian
rivers suitable for the introduction of salmon (see summary in Mercury (Hobart), 27 August 1860, p. 2). The report was referred to a select committee of
the Tasmanian Parliament who were considering a proposal for Tasmania to take direct
responsibility for the introduction of the fish, rather than relying on a bonus for
successful introduction. The select committee interviewed Black who made it clear
that he was not content with the management arrangements proposed and would not answer
to the General Association for the Australian Colonies, which had sponsored the experiment
on S. Curling. The select committee reported to Parliament that a second attempt should be managed on its behalf in London by the
General Association for the Australian Colonies, including the selection of the person
to take charge of the transport. Black made his objections to the report public (A.
Black (1860)) and it was responded to by the chairman of the select committee (Archer
(1860)). For other accounts of the meetings of the select committee when they met
Black, and the treatment of their report in Parliament, see Mercury (Hobart), 5 September 1860, pp. 2, 3; Mercury, 20 September 1860; and the Mercury editorial, 3 September 1860, p. 2.
By the beginning of November 1860, Black was in Sydney to '[ascertain] whether the
government are disposed to take steps for the propagation of salmon in the rivers
of that colony' (Launceston examiner (Tas), 1 November 1860, p. 3). He prepared a report (A. Black (1861)), which attracted
scathing criticsm (W. S. Macleay (1861)), to which A. Black (1861a) is a response.
The NSW Government did not sponsor introduction of the salmon from Europe.
Black remained in Sydney and continued to write upon the subject; see A. Black (1862),
A. Black (1862a), A. Black (1863), A. Black (1864). His later movements have not been
traced.
For a general account of the inttroduction of salmon and trout into Tasmania, see
Seager (1888); Minard (2015) analyses the related history of introductions to Victoria.
I think it is but right, that I should bring under your notice, that Captain Blacks
services have hitherto been quite gratuitous, and that even a small remuneration of
£25 - -, which he expected to receive here, was withheld by the Agents of the Gentlemen,
who initiated the enterprise, as the condition, coupled with its payment, was that
the experiment should fully succeed.
3
Black, it was elsewhere reported, was to receive '£100 if he succeeds in landing 10,000
ova in vital condition, and a greater or lesser sum in proportion to the number saved'
from the shipment of 30,000 eggs (Liverpool mercury, 28 February 1860, p. 4). All perished; see 'The salmon ova', Hobart Town daily mercury, 14 June 1860, p. 2.
It aforded me under the circumstances pleasure to advance to Capt Black the sum of
£12. - to enable him to proceed to Hobarton. The Captain offered to refund this little
amount to you in Hobarton, & I will be quite glad to select to the amount such books
from your library which you were, as you said, inclined to dispose of previous to
your voyage home.
Are you not likely, after the experience now arrived at by Capt Black, to obtain easier
the Salmon by sending directly an emissary for them, then
awaiting until an experienced man would risk a considerable amount of outlay and
time for gaining the premium, which the Royal Society of Tasmania so handsomely held
out?
4
than?
If we had here equal facilities with our Tasmanian friend for locating spawn into
our rivers, I have no doubt we would prosecute the experiments from Victoria, but
the obstacles of bringing the Salmon from this Bay to the Gippsland Rivers, (the only
ones in this colony suitable for those inestimable fish) are both numerous and great,
notwithstanding that the enterprising Capt Cadell (a friend of Capt Black) has lately
succeeded to traverse the principle Gipps Land rivers near their mouth.
For under any circumstances, even after we shall have accomplished a very difficult
voyage with spawn so far, there will be still a land journey of considerable extent
required, before we can get them to the rivulets of the ranges.
Indeed it would be best, should such an importation through Victorian enterprise reach
these shores, to place it at the disposal of our Tasmanian neighbours.
I beg to send to you a few pamphlets through Capt Black. I thought to be able to send
simultaneously the IV vol. of the transactions of our R.S.,
which however are only to be issued by our next meeting on Monday.
5
Transactions of the Philosophical Institute of Victoria, vol. 4. The Institute had recently been granted permission to style itself the Royal
Society of Victoria.
Trusting that I shall have the gratification of seeing you here, previous to your
home journey & wishing you happiness & health,
I remain, my dear Doctor —
your sincerely [...]
6
illegible.
Ferd. Mueller
Dr. Milligan, F.L.S. & & &.