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No. 5871, unit 37, pp. 1387-8, VPRS 1187/P outward correspondence, VA 475 Chief Secretary's Department, Public Record Office, Victoria. 74.09.21Preferred Citation:
Thomas Ware to Ferdinand von Mueller, 1874-09-21. 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//letters/1870-9/1874/74-09-21-final.odt>, accessed June 13, 2026
Chief Secretary's Office
Melbourne 21st September 1874.
Sir,
I am directed to inform you that (in accordance with the suggestion contained in your
minute dated the 17th of July last) a copy of the first fascicle of your Botanical
Collection for Educational purposes has been presented by direction of Mr Ramsay to
each of the Institutions enumerated in the enclosed list,
comprising most of the principal Libraries in the Colony, and leaving a supply on
hand to meet future applications.
1
List not with the text of this letter, but see below.
2
A circular was issued from the Chief Secretary's Office in September 1874 (Unit 37,
pp. 1333-5, VPRS 1187 outward correspondence, VA 475 Chief Secretary's Department,
Public Record Office, Victoria):
I have the honor to transmit for deposit in your Library a copy of the first Fascicle
of an Educational Collection of Botanical Specimens, prepared by the Government Botanist,
with a view to supplying means of instruction in the first principles of Botany for
all persons in this community who are desirous of entering upon the study of that
useful branch of science.
It is the desire of the Government that this valuable work should be made available
as largely as possible, consistently with its due preservation, to all persons who
frequent the Library and may be supposed likely to profit by making themselves acquainted
with its contents.
Copies were sent to the Secretaries of the following institutions on 15 September:
The Mechanics' Institutes at Amherst, Ararat, Avoca, Ballarat, Belfast [now Port Fairy],
Benalla, Blackwood, Brunswick, Camperdown, Castlemaine, Cheltenham, Clunes, Creswick
and Daylesford; to the Public Libraries at Ballarat East, Beechworth, Brighton and
Buninyong; and to the Royal Albert Institute, Collingwood. On 16 September copies
were sent to Mechanics' Institutes at Emerald Hill [now South Melbourne], Footscray,
Geelong, Hamilton, Heathcote, Kilmore, Kyneton, Portland, Prahran, Sale, Sandhurst,
Sebastopol, Stawell, Taradale, Warrnambool and Williamstown; the Public Libraries
at Dunolly, Eaglehawk, Mansfield, Queenslcliff, Richmond and St Kilda; Free Libraries
at Echuca, Hawthorn, Maryborough and Talbot; the Athenaeums at Maldon, Mornington and Wangaratta; and the Literary Institute, Kew.
I am to add that you are allowed by Mr Ramsay to present a copy of the work to each
of the gentlemen named in your letter of the 20th of June last,
and that if you require copies for the purpose you can obtain them from this office.
3
M to T. Ware, 20 June 1874.
I have the honor to be
Sir
Your most obedient servant
Thos Webb Ware
Acting Under Secretary
The Government Botanist
&c &c