Document information

Physical location:

P85/1092, unit 53, VPRS 1163/P1 inward correspondence files, VA 672 Premier's Office, Public Record Office, Victoria. 85.04.03

Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to James Traill, 1885-04-03. 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/1880-9/1885/85-04-03-final.odt>, accessed June 13, 2026

3/4/85.
Capt J. W. Traill &c
Private Secretary to his Excellency Sir H. Loch,
K.C.B., Governor of Victoria &c.
In reply to your communication, dear Capt Traill, I beg to mention, that Herr Charles Kraus is known to me as a zealous Bohemian Naturalist, who probably desires the various Victorian Gov. publications, mentioned by him,
1
On 9 February 1885, Charles Kraus wrote to the Governor of Victoria from 'Pardubitz. Bohemia. Austria. Europe.' asking to be sent
a gratis copy of valuable and most important Scientific publications: "Natural History of Victoria": ('Prodromus of the Zoology of Victoria, or Figures and Descriptions of the Living Species of all Classes of the Victoria Indigenous Animals') (Decade I to XI), "Geological Survey of Victoria": 'Prodromus of Palaeontology of Victoria, or Figures and Descriptions of the Victorian Organic Remains' (Decade I to VII), 'Eucalyptographia: A Descriptive Atlas of the Eucalypts of Australia and the Adjoining Islands' (Decade I to X), and 'The Victorian Year Book for 1880-81,' submitted to Your Excellency.
On 2 April 1885 Traill minuted: 'Referred by direction of the Governor to Sir Ferdinand Von Mueller who will kindly inform the Governor if he knows anything of the writer of this letter'.
to carry on some connected studies, as now it becomes m[ore]
2
editorial addition — MS damaged.
necessary than formerly, to elucidate subjects in natural science for any country always in comparison to the resources of others.
As Herr Kraus does not allude to any return-sendings, to be made, I would venture to suggest, that the works, desired for his studies be offered to the Library of the University of Prague, which City is near to Pardubitz, so that the loan of the works, when occasion arose to Herr Krauss for using them, could be obtained, unless indeed that Gentleman could offer a fair return-sending of Bohemian scientific publications.
Let me remain, dear Capt. Traill, regardfully your
Ferd. von Mueller.
3
On 8 April 1885, Traill referred the request and M's reply to the Premier.
W. Sewell, Acting Secretary to the Premier, noted M's suggestion that the books 'might be presented to the Library of the University of Prague which is near to the applicant's place of residence, and that an interchange might be asked'. The Premier, James Service, approved M's suggestion and on 13 April 1885 Sewell minuted: 'Write note to the Govt Botanist noting it is proposed to make the presentn named to the University of Prague and asking if he can give us the correct title of the proper functionary to be addressed'. For M's reply, see M to W. Sewell, 17 April 1885.
On 27 June 1885, T. Wilson wrote, on behalf of the Chief Secretary, to the Agent General for Victoria in London asking him to forward a parcel of books to the Librarian at the University of Prague. The parcel contained M's Eucalyptographia, the Palaeontology and 'Natural history of Victoria — Zoology' by Frederick McCoy (i.e. McCoy (1874-82) and McCoy (1878-90), vol. 1), the progress report of the Geological Survey of Victoria, and the Victorian yearbook for 1880-1 and 1883-4. The Agent General was asked to express the Government's regret that Progress Report No. 1 of the Geological Survey of Victoria and Decades I and II of the Palaeontology of Victoria were out of print.