Ferdinand von Mueller

1

Letter not found. The text given here is from Proceedings of the Royal Geographical Society, vol. 9 (1865), pp. 304-5 (B65.08.21). It is one of a group of letters introduced by 'An account of the agitation, set on foot in Melbourne, for a new expedition in search of Leichhardt, or further traces of him, is given in the following extracts of letters from Dr. Mueller to Sir Roderick Murchison. This extract is introduced by 'The last communication from Dr. Mueller, dated the 22nd of April last, announces the successful progress of his scheme. He says,'.

The Leichhardt movement is fully secure; it is merely a question whether the Ladies' Search Expedition takes the field six months earlier or later. The 'Brisbane Courier' says, 'Never can we allow the Victorian ladies to do this work of charity and humanity alone; Leichhardt dead or Leichhardt alive, we have no business to remain for seventeen years in uncertainty about it!

2

Closing quotation mark omitted? See Brisbane courier, 9 March 1865, p. 2.

The ladies have written to her Majesty, the Princess of Wales, and the Empress of France, and I have advised them to address also the Princess Royal of Prussia. Although the 3000l

3

£3000.

for the first two years' search will be unquestionably gathered — if not here alone, at least by the aid of the generous and wealthy of the globe — it may be found necessary to have the search continued for several years more. Under any circumstances the Ladies' Expedition is likely to accomplish what Leichhardt intended, namely, to open up the great western half of the continent, an object, next to the exploration of Central Africa, the most important in the whole domain of Geography. If once the Ladies' Expedition is fairly started, and despatches of interest and hope are received, it will then need only about 300l.

4

£300.

annually from each of the Governments of South-Eastern Australia to maintain it in the field.