Ferdinand von Mueller

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My Dear Baron,

In reply to your letter of the 9th

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Letter not found.

I beg leave to say that some time since the Council of the University were informed that it was proposed to pull down the Botanical Museum erected in the grounds of the Government House and a suggestion was made to the Council to erect one on the grounds of the University.

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James Casey (Chief Secretary) had written to Barry on 18 May 1874 (UM312 Registrar's correspondence, 1874/19 Grounds, University of Melbourne Archives, Melbourne) saying that 'There will be a vote on the estimates (I hope) for the erection of a Botanical museum in the University Grounds. And it is proposed to transfer the admirable & valuable collection gathered by Baron Von Mueller to the new building'.

To this the Council agreed on certain conditions amongst which were — 1. That the money voted for the purpose should be placed at the disposal of the Council. 2. That the building should be theirs. 3 — That provision should be made for the annual maintenance on the estimates of a sufficient number of attendants and supply of drugs paper &c required to preserve the specimens

4. That the Museum should be open to the public during convenient hours.

Nothing has been heard recently of the further intentions of the Government so my supposition is that the project is abandoned for the present at least The introduction into the grounds of the University of a Museum

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The National Museum of Victoria.

over which the Council has no direct control has been found so extremely inconvenient that the Council would not on any account have consented to the latter proposal but that your very valuable collection appeared to be likely to be displaced without having a suitable place for its protection.

December 10 1874

Baron von Mueller