Document information

Physical location:

A38 Royal Geographical Society of Australasia (Vic. Branch) papers, Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales, Sydney. 89.07.23

Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to Alexander Macdonald, 1889-07-23. 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/1880-9/1889/89-07-23-final.odt>, accessed June 13, 2026

23/7/89
You are quite right, dear Mr Macdonald, that I communicated our inability to send a Delegate from here to the geographic Congress in connection with the Paris-Exhibition;
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Fourth International Geographical Congress, held in Paris, 5-11 August 1889.
but as I am since many years a Corresponding member of the geographic Society of Paris, I sent the requisite subscription for membership (£2. —) just as any one would do in the Austral. Association,
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i.e. the Australasian Association for the Advancement of Science?
though he might be prevented from going to an other colony for personally attending. Moreover the time is now so advanced, that no one from here could reach in time the Paris-Congress. But whether Mr Woodford be in time or not, we also here would gladly accredit that Gentleman to the great Paris-Society, the meetings of which — independently of the Congress — he could attend.
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J. P. Thomson, honorary secretary and treasurer of the Qld Branch of the Royal Geographical Society of Australasia, J. N. Waugh, 'président et délégué de la Royal geographical Society of Australasia, Brisbane', and M, described as 'directeur du jardin botanique à Melbourne, président et délégué de la Royal geographical Society of Australasia, Queensland Branch', as well as R. H. Lawson, A. C. Gregory and W. H. Miskin who were all also associated with the Qld Branch, were included in the list of general members of the Congress, but not necessarily in attendance (Congrès international des sciences géographiques (1890), vol. 1, pp. 14-34). Of these, Gregory, Miskin, M and Waugh were identified as 'membres donateurs'. M was also listed as a member of the 'Comité de Patronage', again described as 'président de la Royal geographical Society of Australasia (Queensland branch), membre correspondant de la Société de Géographie de Paris' (p. 11).
C. M. Woodford, who was a member of the Council of the NSW branch of the Society? There is no mention of anyone named Woodford in the Congress report.
If any Exhibition-Commissioners are to represent the branches at the Congress then the decision must be telegraphed to Paris.
The main highland work is yet to be done in N.G., and I trust, that it will fall to Mr Lindsays share, to get to the Alps in the Dutch territory.
Never heard of Sir Samuel Davenport's accident before.
Remember me kindly to Mr Lindsay.
Regardfully your
Ferd. von Mueller.
If His Excellency, Lord Carrington, will honor us with accepting the Honorary Presidency of the RGSA, it will be all the more pleasing, as the Society originated in Sydney, and as Baron Carrington obtained
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for us crossed through.
the Royal name for the Society.
The communication from Paris must have been similar to that, sent to other geographic Societies. The European Societies could easily respond, but we are at the antipodes! I thought you had some papers or circulars from Paris about the Congress early in the year, which we delt with at a Council meeting. I remember a Lady, at your house, suggesting that some of our papers should be translated for the Congress.
Surely circulars went from Paris to all the branches, as they interchange prints.
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Initial circulars inviting participation in the Congress were sent in June 1888 and the exact dates announced in a circular of 14 February 1889 (Congrès international des sciences géographiques (1890), vol. 1, pp. 2-5).