Document information

Physical location:

RBG Kew, Kew Gardens, Colonial floras, f. 94. 93.03.21

Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to William Thiselton-Dyer, 1893-03-21. 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/93-03-21>, accessed April 20, 2025

1
Date stamped: Royal Gardens Kew 24. Apr. 93.
21/3/93.
Herewith, dear Dr Dyer, I beg to send you a copy of an article which will appear in the next number of the vict. Naturalist.
2
ff. 100-103 contain a draft of the unsigned article ‘The "Flora Australiensis"’ that appeared in the Victorian naturalist, vol. 9, 1893, pp. 183–4. It is in an unknown hand, with interlinings in M's hand. Folio 100 is stamped: '24. Apr. 93.' Folio 104 is a printed version, one page, with no header or page number, and the printed footer: 'From the Victorian Naturalist, April, 1893.' It has no Kew date stamp. The Gardeners' chronicle, 10 June 1893, p. 692, summarized the article:
The Flora Australiensis — We are pleased to learn that a completing volume to Bentham's Flora Australiensis is likely to be shortly undertaken in Melbourne. It has long been the intention of Baron von Mueller to furnish such a volume, more especially as after fifteen years' previous botanical researches in Australia he was the collaborator of Mr. Bentham in the Flora , the first and as yet the only one for any of the great divisions of the globe. As few unexplored parts of Australia now remain to afford additional material for novelties, the intention of Baron von Mueller, so long cherished, will be early carried out. For this task his position is unique. He has gained personal experience by long exploratory travels in each of the Australian colonies, his researches in this part of the world having commenced in 1847, after seven years' previous home studies.
It is probable that M sent an extra-print of the article to the Gardeners' chronicle, as he did to RBG Kew.
It is in defence of an encroachment from Brisbane, as you may know, from a Circular received suddenly only yesterday and unexpectedly without the slightest previous communication with me!
3
M received a copy of the circular from Frederick Bailey; it has therefore been treated as a letter; see F. Bailey to M, March 1893 (in this edition os 93-03-00b).
f. 93 Is a slip of paper, date stamped at Kew: '24. Apr. 93'; The text reads 'Brisbane 15 Mar 93 Rough draft of this circular was forwarded the other day F.M. B.' The circular (f. 99), is one folio, typed; signed and dated 9 March 1893 by F. Bailey, and date stamped at Kew: '24. Apr. 93'.
I am bound to protect the little Department here from injury
4
further deleted before injury.
and misjudgement.
Always regardfully
your
Ferd Mueller
Mr Henry Tyson,
5
Tryon?
of Brisbane, on whom I had the least claim, came in the public press there most generously to my rescue! before I even knew of the circular or its intention.
6
Letter to the Editor by Henry Tryon (Brisbane courier, 17 March 1893, p. 2, cols f–g). Tryon was Assistant Curator of the Queensland Museum, and the attention of the Minister of Education was drawn to the letter; Tryon was ‘called upon for an explanation of his action in this matter’ (Brisbane courier, 24 March 1893, p. 5, col. a). Tryon had been under suspension while an investigation into aspects of his conduct was held (Brisbane courier, 7 March 1893, p. 2 col. g; 8 March, p. 5, col. g; 9 March, p. 3, col. b). He was exonerated, but the Civil Service Board recommended that he be transferred to the Department of Agriculture as entomologist (Brisbane courier, 25 March 1893, p. 3, col. c); see ADB.