Document information

Physical location:

MS 000604, Box 48/f, Geological Society of Australasia correspondence, Royal Historical Society of Victoria, Melbourne. 86.01.00b

Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to [Robert Litton], 1886-01 [86.01.00b]. 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/1880-9/1886/86-01-00b-final.odt>, accessed June 13, 2026

1
Litton was Secretary of the Geological Society of Australasia at the time, and this item is with other letters he received in this capacity. Stirling and Lendenfeld undertook their journey in January 1886; the letter is therefore dated to January 1886 as the earliest it could have been written.
As Dr. von Lendenfeld has accompanied Mr. Stirling
2
James Stirling. Stirling and Lendenfeld had each reported finding evidence of glaciation in the Australian Alps (Stirling (1885), pp. 144-5 (read 11 December 1884); Lendenfeld (1886), (read 28 January 1885)), 'But a difference of opinion existed as to the area over which glacial evidences would be found … and it was arranged to make a joint exploration with scientific equipment' ('From Omeo to Sydney via Mount Bogon' Gippsland times, 1 February 1886, p. 3). The account, by James Stirling, was published serially, concluding with the last of 12 instalments in Gippsland times, 11 June 1886, p. 3.
on private expense, I would beg to ask, whether it could be arranged, that out of the £2 5 0— voted for the geologic Society of Victoria,
3
The Geological Society of Australasia was granted £250 in the vote for the Minister of Mines when Parliament approved the estimates for 1885-6 on 8 December 1885 (Victoria, Votes and proceedings of the Legislative Assembly, Session 1885, vol. 1, p. 277).
some payment could be rendered to Dr. von Lendenfeld,
4
During 1886, the Society granted Lendenfeld 'the sum of £25— for his explorations in the Victorian Alps' (Litton (1886), p. 12). The grant had been made before 10 April; see Herald (Melbourne), 10 April 1886, p. 3.
e specially as the joint Report of his and Mr Stirling could be read at one of the Society's meetings.
5
Lendenfeld (1886b), which includes some text by James Stirling.
I have the honor to be,
Sir,
your obedient servant
Ferd von Mueller