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66.10.25Preferred Citation:
Ferdinand von Mueller to Walter Hill, 1866-10-25. 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/66-10-25>, accessed April 19, 2025
1
Letter not found. The text given here is from 'Queensland's contributions to the Victorian
Intercolonial Exhibition', Queensland daily guardian, 5 November 1866, p. 2 (B66.11.04).
64, Elizabeth-street,
Melbourne, October 25, 1866.
Dear Mr. Hill, —
On the afternoon before the opening of the Exhibition, no measures were yet adopted
for the arrangement of the articles sent from Brisbane; indeed the majority of the
articles were not even unpacked. The steamer of the morning had brought no representative
from your colony, and hence it was evident that the measures for placing the articles,
and labelling them, &c., would devolve on the Commissioners. I brought the facts before
the Organisation Committee (of which I am not a member), and was asked to undertake
the arrangement and other work connected with your Court, — a call to which I the
more gladly responded, as the Northern Exhibition Committee of your colony had asked
me, through Mr. Thozet, to attend to their interest. Moreover, having travelled through
Queensland, I am, perhaps, to some extent able to give personal explanation on most
of the exhibits. Though suffering from a severe attack of bronchitis, contracted at
the building a few days before, while engaged in general work of the Commission, or
in my Court of vegetable productions, I finished the Queensland Court in time, but
have yet for many days to attend to the labelling of the articles, which will forthwith
have my attention.
In looking through the correspondence from Queensland, I notice by a letter dated
11th September, and written by your Secretary, that ten cases had then been dispatched,
and that a list of contents were forwarded simultaneously, and others were to follow.
One list must be either at the Office still, or with the gentlemen who compiled the
catalogue, and it will be only to-day that I can try to get it, because really I had
not a moment to spare before. I would have had leisure some days ago, but unfortunately
a tremendous flood devastated the lower part of the garden in the beginning of this
month, and thus I was entirely thrown out of my calculations for division of work.
You and the other contributors towards the exhibition, and the Commissioners, may
rest assured that nothing on my part shall be left undone to bring, during the progress
of the Exhibition, the excellence of the very many important articles sent from your
colony prominently before the public, and especially before those best able to judge.
I should feel indebted if I could learn how much of the cotton is to be sent out of
each little bale to Paris, and would like also to have a list of all the articles
exclusively intended for Paris, as the labels show this only in a few instances. The
shipment in the goods will have to be effected about the middle of next month, and
meanwhile the articles can have the benefit of exhibition here. Being a member of
a special committee to look after the exhibits from Victoria for Paris, I will give
gladly at the same time your articles intended for France my best attention. Mr. Fairfax,
a gentleman from Queensland, who lately returned to Victoria, takes a great interest
in all you send, and has kindly offered aid and information within his reach. If you
have not yet sent a list of your timber, corresponding to the numbers pray let me
have it, and if you have any instructions pray do not hesitate letting me know your
wishes. Trusting that I have thus far aided your interests.
I remain, dear Mr. Hill,
Yours, regardfully,
FRED. MUELLER.
2
Hill forwarded M's letter to the Queensland daily guardian where it was published along with the following comments by Hill: 'I wish to state,
in reference to this letter, that the different sorts of woods of this colony were
sent down to Melbourne, numbered, and that a written catalogue of the names of the woods, as classified by the Botanist,
and as designated by those who use them for practical purposes, was also sent:— the
labelled numbers on the wood corresponding with their similar number on the catalogue,
and being an index thereto. From the contents of Dr. Mueller's letter, I should imagine
that this catalogue had never reached its destination; but I am informed by the Secretary
to the Commissioners for the Exhibition here (Mr. Lyons), that since the receipt of
my letter he has received a telegraphic message, to the effect, "catalogue found,"
and it is presumed that this is my catalogue in connection with the woods of the colony.
I ardently desired that the catalogue should be printed instead of being sent in manuscript,
but it was found that this request was not to be complied with. I may mention that
Dr. Mueller only acknowledges in the subjoined letter the receipt of ten cases of
exhibits; there is another lot of twelve cases which were shipped a week or a fortnight
after these ten cases which I presume at the date of Dr. Mueller's letter had not
come under his cognizance. These twelve cases, if exhibited, would make an essential
difference in the display of Queensland, as it was, according to the last accounts;
and as it would be were the contents of those cases to be in the department allotted
to this colony. They contain many of the most valuable specimens of timber, also tanning
and medicinal barks, and also fibres, together with coffee, arrowroot, and other productions,
which are either indigenous to this colony, or which, imported, can be grown in this
colony alone amongst the Australian groups'.
See also 'The Queensland Court', Australasian (Melbourne), 27 October 1866, p. 23.