Document information
Physical location:
G73/9308, unit 433, VPRS 44/P inward registered and unregistered correspondence, VA 538 Department of Crown Lands and Survey, Public Record Office, Victoria. 73.07.19aPreferred Citation:
Ferdinand von Mueller to James Francis, 1873-07-19 [73.07.19a]. 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/1870-9/1873/73-07-19a-final.odt>, accessed June 13, 2026
Melbourne bot Museum,
19/7/73.
Sir,
I have the honor to transmit to you the byefollowing notes, received from the Lands
Department, and my minute of reply, feeling that according to the wording or at least
the spirit of the Civil Service Act these communications should be transmitted through
your office.
I have further the honor to solicit, that you will allow me to continue the control
over my Library, which I commenced forming 34 years ago, and without which my researches
could not be continued.
1
M to A. Wallis, 19 July 1873 is M's reply. The notes from the Lands Department are included in n. 1 to that letter.
I have the honor to be,
Sir, your obedient servant
Ferd. von Mueller.
The Honorable the Chief Secretary.
If you deem it desirable I can select the few books of special horticultural interest
for being placed in the Garden building
2
Francis minuted in reply: 'As a first step towards a satisfactory dealing with this
matter, I must request Dr Mueller, with the aid of his assistant, to give me, as soon
as they can be compiled, a Catalogue of the Books, & an Inventory of every instrument
or article (not being specimen plants, leaves or seeds) which were removed from the
Botanical Gardens within the knowledge of Dr Mueller — as well as an Inventory of
the same description of articles or others previously in his Museum or its premises.
I shall then be better able to judge between the claimants.'
M to J. Francis, August 1873 (in this edition as 73-08-00) transmitted the requested
inventories, but they have not been found.