Ferdinand von Mueller

Melbourne,

25 Aug. 1881.

To T.R. Wilson Esqr,

Acting Undersecretary.

Sir

I have the honor to beg of you, to submit to the honorable the Chief Secretary, whether I may be allowed to incur the expenditure of £30 - - for the purchase of a Theodolite out of the vote of the Gov. Botanist for Books, Incidentals, Instruments &c. I have long been eager to obtain a Theodolite for measuring the height of trees and other scientific engagements, and selected one before the end of the financial year on an understanding, that it would be purchased only and delivery taken only, if I found after the settlement of all the accounts of the Gov. Botanists establishment, that I had the sume of £30 - - left available for such an instrument. I now find, that I have that amount left unexpended, and if the hon. Mr Grant deems fit kindly to approve of it, I would like to secure the theodolite.

1

MS is accompanied by a printed form headed 'Contingencies' addressed to Kilpatrick & Co. It has been filled out by Georg Luehmann and is signed by M. The form is marked 28 June 1881 and is for a '5 inch Transit Theodolite […]' valued at £30.

On 29 August Wilson minuted: 'The Chief Secretary does not feel justified in sanctioning such a large expenditure for this purpose in the absence of anything to show the necessity for it'.

M responded the next day: 'In submitting cheerfully to the decision of the hon. the Chief Secretary and returning now formally the correspondence I may still be allowed to point out respectfully, that in my journeys, when measuring many tall trees, I carried formerly only a clinometer, with which however I could not really do accurate work; thus — as remarked in my letter —, I long wished to have a theodolith, the prices of which ranging up to £60. But I presume, that, when occasionally it is required, I might perhaps obtain the loan of such an instrument from the Survey-Department.'