The correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller: Melbourne, 70. Collin Street East, ¶ 23. June 1855. ¶ Sir ¶ ¶ I do myself the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your communications from the 12th and 16th instant, ¶ and by leave to inform you, th...

Document information

Physical location:

MS Q424 inward correspondence, Gregory papers, Dixson Library, State Library of New South Wales, Sydney. 55.06.23

Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to Augustus Gregory, 1855-06-23. 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/55-06-23>, accessed May 10, 2024

Melbourne, 70. Collin Street East,

23. June 1855.

Sir

I do myself the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your communications from the 12th and 16th instant,

A. Gregory to M, 12 June and 16 June 1855.

and by leave to inform you, that my leave of absence commences on the first of July and that I shall arrive there in the beginning of next month.

I regret to observe from the rules, which you communicated in your letter of the 12th instant, that I have been under some miscomprehension of the position, which I have to occupy in the expedition, and considering carefully all the details of your communication from the 12th I came to the conclusion, that it would be necessary to consult with you, when arriving in Sydney, whether my physical strenght will be sufficient to participate in the general duties of the exploration, and whether under these circumstances, without an attendant, time enough will be left to me for my investigations.

Should you think that in case of my declining the appointment with which I am honored, after my arrival in Sydney, not sufficient time should be left to you for other arrangements, I beg then to state, that I feel myself not justified in interfering with your other arrangements for the botanical department.

As I am unacquainted with the means of transport, the extent of the journey and all other specialia, I am unable to lay before you at this time a requisition of the articles wanted for the botanical collections, but I think that a few days will fully be sufficient, to make the necessary arrangements in this behalf.

Gregory prepared a list of stores required for the botanical department of the expedition after M arrived in Sydney. Gregory forwarded the list to the NSW Colonial Secretary, E. Deas Thomson, 11 July 1855 (No. 55/7507, 4/3284 letters received, Colonial Secretary's Office, Archives Authority of New South Wales, Sydney):

DescriptionQuantityPasteboard strong20 sheetsBrown Packing paper strong1 Ream 60 lbsWhite Printing paper Demy4 ReamsWhite Packing paper Demy5 ReamsFoolscap paper1 ReamSmall memorm Books4 dozenWove wire5 yardsLead pencils3 dozenThin Oilcloth30 yardsCalico (fine)10 yardsCamphor3lbsLeather straps60Needles packing12Tissue paper2 QuiresTwine and cord5lbs The Colonial Secretary's Office informed Gregory, 13 July 1855, that M's list of stores had been approved (No. 53/7509, MS Q424).

With regard to the augmentation of the salary first proposed, I beg leave to state, that, altho' fully sensible and grateful to his Excellency's kindness thus manifested, the pecuniary part of your propositions never in the slightest affected my resolutions. For the sake of the plants alone , I ever desired to be on the expedition.

I have the honor to be,

Sir,

your most obedient and humblest servant

Ferd. Mueller.

A. C. Gregory Esq

&c &c &c