The correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller: Melbourne, 20/4/76. ¶ To the honorable John Macpherson, M.L.A., ¶ Chief Secretary. ¶ Sir, ¶ ¶ In compliance with your communication, received two days ago, ¶ I have the honor to submit the data of e...

Document information

Physical location:

J76/4134, unit 930, VPRS 3991/P inward registered correspondence, VA 475 Chief Secretary's Department, Public Record Office, Victoria. 76.04.20

Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to John MacPherson, 1876-04-20. 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/1870-9/1876/76-04-20-final.odt>, accessed June 13, 2026

Melbourne, 20/4/76.

To the honorable John Macpherson, M.L.A.,

Chief Secretary.

Sir,

In compliance with your communication, received two days ago,

See the circular requesting estimates, W. Odgers to M, 13 April 1876 (in this edition as 76-04-13b).

I have the honor to submit the data of estimates, which I would recommend for the expenditure of my branch of the public service, during the new financial year:

Gov. Botanist	£	800
Museum Assistant & Clerk		150
Assistant for outdoor work		130
Issue of Educat. Collections		80
Books, journals, instruments		90
Mus. Material & Mus. plants		130
Travelling & incidental expenses		80
Issue of Work on Austr. plants		100
Total £		1560

In these estimates is not provided for an Atlas on Eucalypts,

Eventually issued in 10 Decades, the first four of which were issued during 1879, see B79.13.11.

nor for the woodcuts necessary for the desired School Flora,

After type had been set, the Chief Secretary aborted the projected Victorian School Flora on 22 November 1876 by a minute on sample pages. See Lucas, Maroske & Brown-May (2006).

because I hope, that the Gov. Lithographer and the Gov. Wood Engraver will be directed, to give their time up also for a while fairly for the works of my establishment, without the incurrence of special costs.

I have also abstained from adding to the expenditure by Laboratory-work, especially as a new atelier would require to be built and fitted, so that it appeared better to defer the new researches, which I intended til next year.

If a field-collector for obtaining the material for increased Museum-interchanges could be provided, then an additional £150 would be needed; but I leave the consideration of this item to the special consideration of the hon. the Minister: concerning revenues to accrue, it will be known, that no direct income can arise in a Department organized like mine; nevertheless it is largely reproductive, as its working calls forth new cultures, new industries and new exports, as may be instanced by the export of Eucalyptus seeds, Eucalyptus oils and fernstems, now representing mainly through the first exertions, tests and investigations of my Department annually several thousand £.

MacPherson marked M's estimates 'Appd' [Approved]. The Estimates presented to Parliament on 25 July 1876 ('Estimates of revenue and expenditure for the year ending 30th June 1877' Parliamentary papers, 1876, vol. 1, B1) included (p. 13) £1,610 for the Government Botanist. The items 'Issue of Educat. Collections', 'Books, journals, instruments', and 'Travelling & incidental expenses' had been combined into a single entry, 'Books, instruments, collections, seeds, and travelling and incidental expenses', for which a sum of £300 was allocated, while the other items M listed were unchanged. When debated in the Committee of Supply on 23 August 1876 (Victoria, Parliamentary debates, vol. 24, session 1976, pp. 498-501) the amounts—indeed the existence of the Department— were challenged, mainly on grounds of lack of evidence of utilitarian benefit, but were agreed as presented after support from Ministers and others.

I have the honor to be, Sir,

Your obedient servant

Ferd. von Mueller.