Ferdinand von Mueller

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Enclosed with despatch 35, G. Carey to E. Cardwell, 27 July 1866. Copy transmited to the Royal Geographical Society from the Colonial Office.

COPY

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Copy in unknown hand. 'Leichhardt' is misspelled with single ‘h’ throughout.

Melbourne Botan: Garden

23rd July 1866

Sir,

It devolves on me the doleful duty to submit on behalf of the Ladies, who sent out an Expedition in search of Dr Leichardt, to your Excellency the Offical record, received this day of the death of Duncan McIntyre, the youthful, energetic and talented Commander of their Expedition.

The Victorian Government having not merely supported the enterprise by a Monetary Subsidy but having also furnished the Dromedaries for facilitation of the search, I feel it incumbent on me to place before Your Excellency as the Head of the Government all documents of importance concerning this universally Australian Exploit.

Moreover Her Majesty has condescended to grace and elevate the Ladies' philanthropic measures by a munificent contribution to the Expedition Fund

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When first approached, Queen Victoria felt unable to associate her name with the Committee, as none of the Colonial Legislatures had expressed approval of the appeal. However, by the time it was raised again by Sir Roderick Murchison in January 1866, Colonial Government support had been given, and after seeking the approval of the Colonial Secretary, the Queen agreed to donate £100. However, the money was not paid until October 1866. (Information supplied by the Deputy Registrar, The Royal Archives, Windsor Castle. See Keeper of the Privy Purse (Sir Charles Phipps) to Colonial Secretary (Edward Cardwell), 18 January 1866 (RA PP/VIC/1866/20810); Receipt in favour of Leichhardt Search Fund dated 27 October 1886 (RA PP/VIC/2/106/11309)).

while also the Right Honorable the Minister for the Colonies of the British Empire was pleased to give active support to the search.

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No evidence of financial support from the Colonial Office has been found.

Thus Your Excellency in the exalted position of the Representative of our Gracious Sovereign and Governor of this Colonial Territory will, I trust allow me to submit these documents without hesitation. These will be followed by others, in which the measures next to be decided on by the Ladies will be detailed

In Mr McIntyre, geography a science so much in need to be fostered in this great Continent for the benfit of the British Nation, is now deprived of a man of sterling abilities and rare experience who cannot be replaced. Much is it also to be feared, that the depressing and disheartening influence, which the mournful intelligence of his

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Copyist’s error?

early demise of this promising explorer is likely to exercise on the public mind will much discourage future travelling operations, be it in the cause of humanity, of National objects or of Science.

Nevertheless I cannot suppress a persuasion that from the eight or nine Millions of sterling yielded at present by the annual State revenues of these Australian Colonies well one thousand pounds might be spared yearly for completing in outlines the map of this great Continent, even if renewed travels did not require to be carried out in obeyance to the Cause of National benignity.

I also cannot but contend, that the million and a half of inhabitants of the Caucasian race now already in all probability outnumbering ten fold the original nomadic occupants of the soil, should seek while under the aegis of British Sovereignty they are enjoying peace and prosperity, in transplanting sound national vigor and the intelligence of civilization into this part of the globe, an honor also in aiding the united efforts of the Governments of Australia by maintaining for the next decennium uninterruptedly an exploring party in the field in order that not only the fate of a great investigator of this Country may be rendered known, but that also the probably vast extent of treasures of material wealth may be ascertained which nature must have strewed likewise over a broad expanse of the still untraversed portion of this great British Continent, treasures of which we cannot even form the remotest approximate estimation, until the eye of educated intelligence has glanced over every square mile of the great interior.

His Excellency General Carey, CB.

Governor of Her Majesty's Victorian Territory &c