Ferdinand von Mueller

On 10 April 1888, James Smibert, Deputy Postmaster General, had written to Wilson: 'I have the honor to inform you that this Department [i.e. Victoria's General Post Office] has been advised that the rules of the Postal Union requiring prepayment by Postage Stamps for all mail matter for foreign countries is to be strictly observed in future. I am therefore to point out Frank Stamps will not carry correspondence outside the Australasian Colonies to places other than Great Britain.' Wilson forwarded this letter to M on 18 April 1888.

Wilson sent M's question to Smibert on 20 April, adding: 'It is presumed that the United States do not constitute any exception to the regulation'. Smibert confirmed Wilson's understanding on 15 May: 'The United States are in the Universal Postal Union, therefore the ruling relating to payment of charges by postage stamps should be observed with regard to correspondence addressed thereto'. H. Moors, for the Under Secretary, forwarded this information to M on 17 May, who replied two days later: 'I may still be allowed to point out respectfully, that hitherto according to my departmental experience the operation of the special agreement betw. the President of the United States and Mr G. C. Levey, when the latter was Victorian Commissioner for the Philadelphia Exhbition [1876], seems in no way practically nullified as regards reciprocal mutual recognition of the Gov Frank-stamps of the U.S. and that of Vict, so that perhaps the particular arrangement, then entered into, is not impared by the U.S. having entered the Universal postal Union subsequently'. On 25 May, Wilson forwarded M's comments to Smibert, adding: 'although it is presumed the Government Botanist is under a misapprehension'. Smibert replied on 31 May, repeating that the 'present arrangement is that postage must be paid in stamps upon correspondence for all places in the Postal Union, without any exception'. Moors duly passed on this instruction to M, who responded on 5 June: 'Returned with thanks for the information afforded'.