Document information
Physical location:
Barr Smith Library, University of Adelaide, SA. 83.01.20Preferred Citation:
Ferdinand von Mueller to Ralph Tate, 1883-01-20. 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/83-01-20>, accessed September 11, 2025
20/1/83
Yesterday, dear Prof Tate, I received back the paper of your Candidature at the R.S.
of London, from the F.R.S., among in Australia it was circulated.
It bears the signatures now of Dr Hector, Dr v. Haast, Prof M'Coy, Mr Ellery, and
Sir G. Verdon from general knowledge, — and of course mine from personal knowledge.
1
See M to R. Tate, 15 January 1883 (in this edition as 83-03-15b).
As Judge Sir J. Cockle is still in England his Honor's signature has to be obtained
at home, and then there would be wanting among Australian F's only that of Prof Liversidge,
to whom I do not like to send the paper, as he is in intimate relation and cooperation
with the Rev Jul. Ten. Woods at the R.S. of N.SW.; — and as it is best that the latter
should not know directly there of your steps, as then a misconstruction could perhaps
be put on
my
action in this matter.
I shall send the paper to Sir Jos. Hooker by
next mail
, so that it may be in time for this year;
and will ask him, to try with his great influence, that
both you
and Mr Woods get elected, without imperilling the election of either. Mr Forrest
and I believe also Dr McGillivray acted on my advise to
defer
their candidature.
2
See M to R. Tate, 3 February 1883 (in this edition as 83-02-03a), and J. Hooker to M, 12 March 1883. Tate was nevertheless not a candidate in the Royal Society's 1883 election of new
Fellows. He was a candidate in 1884, 1885 and 1886 but was never elected.
3
Julian Tenison Woods was an unsuccessful candidate in the Royal Society's elections
in 1883 and 1884, and then again each year from 1886 to 1888. Paul MacGillivray was
an unsuccessful candidate, 1884-6. John Forrest was never a candidate.
Regardfully your
Ferd. von Mueller.
Be so good to write to Sir Joseph, which of your friends ought to be applied to in
Britain & Ireland, to support your election I added to your qualifications that of
a scientific traveller in Central America
4
Some years before moving to Australia, Tate had worked in 1867-8 in Central America
and Venezuela, mostly on mining prospects.