Ferdinand von Mueller

Important

12/7/87

Will you kindly, dear Mr Macdonald, enroll so worthy a member, as Capt Gray, as a member of our branch. He could get us likely many other members.

I am still eager, to get Mr Giles

1

Ernest Giles.

out again at this favorable season, and if you approve of it, I will at once draft a circular letter, which the Council members should all sign, and which the photolithographic Department would likely print off for us in the public interest. If we send out 200, we might get 50 subscriptions at £10 each, so that each subscriber could have a dedication of some sort on the map. Mr Giles could sell the maps (through us) to the W.A. & S.A. Government, and get his own monetary rewards ( after due report to us) by disposing of such pastural land as he may discover. This scheme we could further discuss and urge at our quarterly meeting soon; but I am most eager, that the letter should circulate, or rather the 200 copies go out before the meeting, so that you could report the matter there and then as done , if — as I presume — you have no objection. That would give our branch an other good start, before we are anticipated. So soon as I hear of you, I will communicate with Mr Giles and submit to you the already made list of 200 names.

2

See M to A. Macdonald, 26 May 1887; M to J Shillinglaw, 31 May 1887; and Circular, 24 August 1887. The proposed expedition did not eventuate.