Ferdinand von Mueller

1

Letter not found. The text given here is from 'The Leichhardt expedition', Brisbane courier, 26 June 1865, p.1S (B65.06.05). The extract from M's letter is as quoted in a letter, dated 24 June 1865, from Landsborough to the Editor of the Brisbane courier. Landsborough introduces it as follows: 'Sir,— I am in receipt of a letter from my friend, Dr. F. Meuller, dated Botanic Gardens, Melbourne, June 14, 1865. In congratulating Lady Bowen and other ladies on the efforts recently made to inaugurate the supplemental fund in Brisbane, the doctor goes on to say—'.

A cutting of this item is enclosed with Despatch no. 52 of Sir Charles Darling to Secry Cardwell, Royal Geographical Society, London, Archives, ms file, Australia 1866.

I feel delighted, dear Mr Landsborough, that the prospects for the Ladies' Expedition,

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Ladies' Leichhardt Search Expedition.

through the generous support of the Queensland Government and residents, are so much brightened, and I feel individually most grateful to all who have co-operated in the good cause. Pray convey to Sir George Bowen and Lady Bowen

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Diamantina Bowen. Lady Bowen had written to Elizabeth Tierney, Secretary of the Ladies' Committee, expressing her support for the proposed search for traces of Leichhardt and her willingness to spearhead a parallel Queensland committee (D. Bowen to E. Tierney, 24 April 1865; M65/4187, unit 209, VPRS 3991 inward registered correspondence, VA 475 Chief Secretary's Department, Public Record Office, Victoria). Her letter was among material submitted by the Victorian committee to the Victoria Government.

my grateful acknowledgments for their sympathy with our movement, which I trust will not be regarded as one of Victoria alone, but as a national one of all Australia. All in our power shall be done to guard the enterprise against distrust and failure: and thus I hope the confidence placed in us here will not prove misapplied. Mr. Donald Campbell, of Glengower, near Castlemaine, the uncle of Mr. M'Intyre, is expected to be in Melbourne this week, when probably final arrangements will be entered into for the expedition; and as his nephew is collecting horses, &c., on the Darling River, we can anticipate his starting in fair time for this season. You will see that the South Australians are also bestirring themselves vigorously in aiding the good work, and the Victorian Government will also contribute to the search fund, though the amount to be offered is not yet fixed. This measure of our Government will, as far as I can learn, meet with universal approval in Parliament, nearly thirty members to whom I have spoken having, with great readiness, pledged themselves to vote for the proposition. It is of the highest importance that the subsidies promised by the three Governments should, in reality, be secured by Parliamentary vote as soon as possible , for the legal documents cannot be drawn up before, and no binding engagements can be made in anticipation of these grants. We now have nearly one thousand pounds collected by private subscriptions. I am happy to say that Sir William Denison and Sir Henry Barkly have already spoken in laudatory terms of this intended expedition, and I am very glad to find that your Colonial Secretary (Mr. Herbert) has kindly extended to the Ladies' Committee his consideration and aid in this movement. Please convey my kind regards to Mr. Gordon Sandeman and Mr. Dalrymple; also to Mr. A. C. Gregory, whose influence and good heartedness are fully appreciated. This month’s mail, and more particularly the next, will show how this expedition is received in Europe.

4

The extract from M's letter is followed by the text of a letter received by Landsborough, (Medical Society of Victoria to Australian medical practitioners, 5 May 1865 (in this edition as M65-05-05)), reporting a resolution adopted at a meeting of the Medical Society of Victoria, appealing to the medical profession in the Australian colonies to aid the proposed search for Leichhardt.