Ferdinand von Mueller

1

Date stamped: Royal Gardens Kew 17. Dec. 88.

Melbourne

7/11/88.

This is to me, dear Mr Dyer, a day of unmeasurable joy, a thoughtful telegram having just arrived from Admiral Richards, to our venerable Capt Pasco here (also of great naval renown), that the Council of the R. S.

2

Royal Society of London.

has deemed me to be worthy of the bestowal of one of the Royal medals for 1888.

3

M requested the medal; see M to P. Sclater, December 1887 and Lucas (2013a).

M had been told unofficially of the recommendation, before the Queen gave her assent, via telegram from Admiral G H Richards to Crawford Pasco. Richards wrote to Thiselton-Dyer: 'He [M] is evidently indebted to you and to Hooker who fought manfully for him—my part in it was purely nominal, but I was very pleased that you succeeded' (G. Richards to W. Thiselton-Dyer, 9 November 1888, RBG Kew, Kew correspondence, Australia, Mueller, 1882-90, f. 261). Annotations on the letter indicate that Thiselton-Dyer showed the letter to Joseph Hooker. A telegram was enclosed: 'Pasco to Adml Richards Baron Delighted conveys deepest gratitude Dyer and yourself' (f. 262).

I cannot in words express to you and to the Admiral, how grateful I feel to you both, and it is indeed with great pride, when I recognize, that the leading Official under the British Government for botanic sciences and administration, so kindly proposed my election, and that so celebrated a veteran of the British navy and so distinguished a maritime Explorer as Sir George Richards, should have seconded my election. I will ask Capt Pasco, who — had he remained in the R.N. — would ere this have also been an Admiral and whom I moved here into the Presidency of the Antarctic Committee, to thank from here his naval friend for his generosity to me, while I beg of you, that you will convey kindly to him my sentiments of gratitude there, I trusting that he, who held the Office of Hydrographer so long as one of the first for science in the whole British Empire, will also be early and specially honored by the R.S.

You have hardly reached the zenith of life, so you will after what you have so extensively accomplished already add leaf after leaf to your own laurel-wreath, and soon also carry off one of the untreasurable prizes of the R.S. Pray thank Sir Joseph also for the kindly countenance, he gave on this occasion also again in promoting my position in science.

When the official announcement from the Secretary of the R.S. shall have reached me, my wordings of profound appreciation of this concession from the grand British Science Union of Centuries, that my humble name be forming a link in the long chain of the illustrious, which connects the main bearers of science together, will be directly conveyed.

4

See M to G. Stokes, 1 January 1889.

For Australia the honor comes most opportune, at the verge of the first Century of its Colonisation, and while in its greatest city an international Exhibition

5

Centennial International Exhibition, Melbourne, 1888-9.

connects the industrial interests of the world!

It is perhaps hardly needful to add, that the honorable Sir Graham Berry, as Representative of the Colony Victoria there, should be asked, kindly to be for me the personal Recipient and verbal thanks-bearer.

6

Berry was invited by the Royal Society to accept the medal on behalf of M (M. Foster to G. Berry, 9 November 1888, Royal Society Archives, NLB/2/806); he did so at the Anniversary Meeting held on 30 November (London daily news, 1 December 1888, p. 3).