The correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller: Melbourne, ¶ 10/10/74 ¶ The honorable Rob. Ramsay, M.L.A., ¶ Chief Secretary and Postmaster General. ¶ Sir,...

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Physical location:

E74/12939, unit 747, VPRS 3991/P inward registered correspondence, VA 475 Chief Secretary's Department, Public Record Office, Victoria. 74.10.10a

Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to Robert Ramsay, 1874-10-10 [74.10.10a]. 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/1870-9/1874/74-10-10a-final.odt>, accessed June 13, 2026

Melbourne,

10/10/74

The honorable Rob. Ramsay, M.L.A.,

Chief Secretary and Postmaster General.

Sir,

I have the honor in accordance with your instructions to submit herewith a schedule of the additional estimates, which I would recommend for my Department's service.

I have the honor to be,

Sir, your obedient servant

Ferd. von Mueller.

Additional estimates for the Department of the Gov. Botanist; 1874-1875.

Travelling collector, incl. trav. expenses	£150
Phytochemic Operator, apparatus and chemicals	£150
Assistant for outdoor work and messenger, as at Astronomic Observatory (no quarters)	£120
Issue of educational collections	£80
Lithograms and wood cuts of Victorian plants for school books and other works	£110
Books and instruments	£90
	£700

Purchase of the Sonderian Collections for extended permanent researches (see previous letters)

This would be half the purchase-sum; the other half might be voted in the next finance-year

£440

Office building and fittings and some other building-space to be provided out of the general building-vote.

Saturday

10 October 1874 was a Saturday

It seems to me desirable, dear Mr Ramsay, that you should be aware of my additional requirements before my vote comes on, and I beg therefore to submit the additional estimates herewith, as I shall not be back from Wilson's Promontory until the week after the next. I will gladly wait on you at any time convenient to you, and also show you how I am situated at present.

I have not provided for an office building, nor for the extension of my Museum, as I have no doubt, that the necessary fund might be provided out of the general buiding vote. Such buildings require of course also fittings and furniture. The £300.- on the estimates provided already, meet only the expense for the Museum Clerk and Museum material.

Regardfully your

Ferd. von Mueller

There are file annotations by Ramsay, ‘Put an additional £500 on Supplementary Estimates R.R. 14 Oct /74’, and by the Secretary, Thomas Ware, ‘Afterwards back out by Cabinet T.W. 28/12/74’.

Allow me to remark (inofficially) that the Governm. Botanist will ever be in an anomalous and false position, unless the botanic Garden (which ought to be again under the C.S.

Chief Secretary.

) is restored to his administration with its staff, votes and buildings. There is no real botanic Garden in the whole world, which is not under the Directorship of a man of special University education. The present Curator might take charge of some of the numerous reserves and Parks in and around Melbourne. That would be the most honorable solution of the whole difficulty and restore me to professional respect and renewed proper operations. The Gov. Astronomer could also not work without the Observatory and its organisation buildings and means.

Letter marked: 'Seen by Mr Ramsay 14.10.74'.