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T69/608, unit 750, VPRS 44/P inward registered and unregistered correspondence, VA 538 Department of Crown Lands and Survey, Public Record Office, Victoria. 69.01.28Preferred Citation:
Ferdinand von Mueller to James Grant, 1869-01-28. 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/1860-9/1869/69-01-28-final.odt>, accessed June 15, 2026
Melbourne bot Garden
28/1/69
Sir
I have the honor to solicit, that you will be pleased to place on the estimates or
the supplementary estimates the sum of two hundred and twenty pounds Sterling (£220.-
.-) to provide coals, oil and other material for the steam engine lately erected to
supply the necessary water from the Yarra for the botanic Garden. I entertained a
hope, that at late night-hours (from 3-5 a.m.) or on rainy days, when the pressure
is very great in the Yan Yean, some supply might be granted to this establishment
here, in order to save as much as possible the
cash-expenditure
for coals & labor in working the steam engine. I learn however this day, that this
hope will not be realized, and as I am thus
entirely
thrown on the resources of the Yarra Yarra for water-supply, I find it impossible
to obtain the needful supply without a special vote for working permanently the engine.
Even on rainy days there is a considerable quantity of water consumed in the Conservatories
and enclosed nurseries. Hence the sum indicated is not larger than required to do
justice to the working of the establishment throughout the year.
1
On 2 February 1869, the Assistant Commissioner of Crown Lands and Survey, C. Hodgkinson,
minuted: 'The Inspector General of Public Works is requested to state for the information
of the Honble the Commissioner of Lands & Survey his views relative to within Estimate
of cost of working the engine recently erected by the Dept of Public Works in the
Botanic Garden'. The Inspector General of Public Works, W. Wardell, replied on 4 February:
'If there is no wood available in the Reserve for fuel Coal will have to be provided
and I think £200 would be sufficient to provide Coal, oil &c &c for the engine assuming
it worked 10 hours a day delivering 40000 gallons in the 10 hours If there is any
wood at hand it would of course save the expense of the coal which amounts to about
£180 out of the £200. Even if it is necessary to provide the £200 a very considerable
economy has been effected by discontinuing the Yan Yean supply — to say nothing of
the advantage gained by the inhabitants of the neighbourhood. For water used since
June 1867 about a year & a half the Botanical gardens owe this Department the sum
of £320 for the payment of which the Crown Lands will be asked to provide in this
years estimates and this sum is for
half rates
only at which as a temporary measure the gardens were supplied.'
On 15 February, the file was minuted: 'Too late for the Estimates'. The next day it
was forwarded to Grant for his information, and on 18 February it was sent on his instruction to M, who responded the same day: 'Returned with gratitude for aid & the information afforded, and with
a request that the document be forwarded to the Treasury-department. No wood is available
in the Garden for working the engine, as all old trees have been cut up for heating
the conservatories & forcing houses for a series of years.' M's request was forwarded
to the Treasurer and returned on 22 February.
In his supplementary report of 8 March 1869 (B69.07.03, pp. 9-10) M provides detailed costs of running the steam pump. See Lamb (1996).
I have the honor to be,
Sir,
your obedient servant
Ferd. von Mueller
The honorable the President of the Board of Land & Works