Document information
Physical location:
A38 Royal Geographical Society of Australasia (Vic. Branch) papers, Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales, Sydney. 88.05.04Preferred Citation:
Theodore Bevan to Ferdinand von Mueller, 1888-05-04. 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/88-05-04>, accessed October 18, 2024
1
MS annotation by M: 'Rec & Answ 7/5/88'.
2
The "Oxford." deleted before the address.
Sydney 4 May 1888
My dear Baron von Mueller
I received today a letter from Mr Macdonald conveying the resolution adopted by the
Council of the Victorian Branch of the R.G.S.A.
In acknowledging its receipt I took occasion to point out to Mr Macdonald how in my
opinion the recommendation to the Imperial authorities to reward my services would
be nullified by the addition or rather extension of the recommendation to my companions.
3
In resolving to recommend that Bevan be granted a reward for his exploratory work
in New Guinea, the Council of the Victorian Branch urged that Bevan 'and his party'
should be rewarded. The file includes Bevan's letter to Macdonald, with a note: ''Please
explain my views to Baron Von Mueller, the Council &c in fact there is
no
necessity to treat this letter as a private communication'. It also includes a letter
from Bevan to Edward Strickland, 12 May 1888, in which Bevan makes the same points
as here, asking Strickland if he was writing to M to point out to him the difficulties
associated with what the Victorian Branch had proposed, and that 'putting such a difficulty
in the way of the Imperial authorities is likely to prevent such recommendation having
any useful result towards myself'.
On these two last expeditions I have employed altogether 30 men — different men on
each occasion. How is it possible to give a reward to each of them?
Many of them were coloured men and all of them are scattered over the face of the
earth. As I have pointed out to Mr Macdonald the Hon John Douglas who has shewn himself
to be the
reverse
of a friend to me
was the first to suggest what I designate this mischievous confusion of the leader
with his salaried employés.
4
Douglas, the Special Commissioner for New Guinea, while congratulating Bevan on the
success of his exploring expeditions in the territory, had refused to endorse Bevan's
application for a grant of a large area of land (estimated at 254,000 acres) in the
area he had explored. See Argus, 19 April 1888, p. 8.
If I ever went out again which I have by the by fully made up my mind not to do until
I at all events get the assurance from the Imperial authorities or their representatives
of what I call "a just measure of recognition and reward." I say if I went out again
with yet a third batch of fresh men and made similarly valuable discoveries then there
might be while one Leader to deal with yet another "party" or fresh lot of "companions"
to be included in the recommended
reward
. You I am sure will understand that while wishing to give my companions every credit
as I have done on many public & private occasions yet I wish to protect those of my
class who of their own creation promote & lead exploration to a successful issue.
What would have been said if Wellington instead of getting a reward from the state
for his crowning victory at Waterloo had had to divide it with his thousands of instruments
i.e. private soldiers?
It is so difficult a task nowadays to get recognition let alone reward from the State
that in spite of all these recommendations
I do not expect to get one
but how can there be any chance of it when coupled with such recommendations therein
as in the case of the resolution of your Council a complication by an extension of
that recommendation similarly applying to one and all of my many employés?
5
It appears that Bevan never received a grant of land in New Guinea, such as he sought
as a reward; see Evening news (Sydney), 18 May 1898, p. 7.
My friendly feeling to yourself and Mr Macdonald is of course not in anyway impaired.
I regard both of you as two of the most genuine and sincere friends that any explorer
could wish to have.
Regardfully yours
Theodore Bevan