Document information

Physical location:

L59/7294, unit 747, VPRS 1189 inward registered correspondence, VA 475 Chief Secretary's Department, Public Record Office, Victoria. 59.07.20

Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to John O'Shanassy, 1859-07-20. 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//letters/1850-9/1859/59-07-20-final.odt>, accessed June 13, 2026

Melbourne bot. & zool Garden,
20 July 1859.
Sir
I have the honor to solicit in behalf of the Committee of the zoological gardens, that you will permit the issue of the following Advertisement in the Gov. Gazette
1
The notice. lightly edited, was published in the Government gazette on 26 July 1859, p. 1553 (B59.07.03), and was reinserted in the issues of 2 August 1859, p. 1613, and 26 August 1859, p. 1816.
& its reprint in the form of 500 circulars by the Gov. printing office.
I have the honor to be,
Sir,
your obedient & humble servant
Ferd. Mueller.
The honorable the Chief Secretary.
Melbourne bot. & zool. Garden 18 July 1859.
The Committee of the Zoological Gardens will feel thankful to any Captains of Ships or gentlemen coming to Victoria if opportunity presents itself if they will endeavour to bring with them useful & rare animals. The Committee will ever be happy to recommend the liquidation of any reasonable expenses incurred in the importation of stock, & presented to their care on behalf of the The Government of Victoria
By order of the Committee
Ferd. Mueller, M.D.
Director.
2
At a meeting of the Management Committee of the Zoological Gardens held on 18 July 1859, Thomas Embling ordered that circulars be printed to be distributed to ships' captains, inviting them to contribute to the menagerie. A proof of the circular (presumably based on the notice published in the Gazette) was tabled at the committee meeting held on 2 September and M was instructed to put it into the form of a letter with alteration of the wording. The circular was finally passed for printing at a meeting held on 6 September. At the 1 December meeting it was reported that 50 copies of the circular had been sent to the Chamber of Commerce, and copies also to Messrs Inglis Adam & Gresham, Dove & Oswald, Bright Brothers and Messrs Newell, Hooper & Stephen [i.e. Stevens] (Unit 2, VPRS 2223, Public Record Office, Victoria). No copies of this circular have been found.