The correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller: Melbourne, 13th October, 1890. ¶ The Honourable Sir Thomas Elder, K.C.M.G., M.L.C., etc., etc. ¶ ¶ It is my pleasing duty to inform you, dear Sir Thomas, that at a meeting ¶ ¶ of the Victorian Counc...

1

Letter not found. For the text given here, see Transactions of the Royal Geographical Society of Australasia, Victorian Branch , vol. 8, part 2 (March 1891), pp. 41-3 (B91.03.05). The text is appended to a report of a meeting of the Council of the Victorian Branch held on 6 October 1890. The Council, ' having discussed and come to an agreement respecting the principal items in connection with the fitting out and dispatch of an expedition into Central Australia ' , agreed that ' the resolutions adopted by this meeting be embodied in a letter to Sir Thomas Elder, to be signed by the President [i.e. M] and approved of by a sub-committee, consisting of the President, Messrs. Panton, Newbery, Scarr and [Macdonald] ' .

Melbourne, 13th October, 1890.

The Honourable Sir Thomas Elder, K.C.M.G., M.L.C., etc., etc.

It is my pleasing duty to inform you, dear Sir Thomas, that at a meeting of the Victorian Council of the Royal Geographical Society of Australasia, held on the 6th October inst., it was resolved that for the expedition which, in accordance with your wishes and through your munificence, is to be sent out for the main purpose of completing the exploration of the Continent of Australia, the best route would be to start from the Peake Station, on the Overland Telegraph Line, in order to penetrate in the first instance as far as possible midway through the large unexplored space contained between the track of your expedition of 1875 on the south side, and the Musgrove

2

Musgrave?

Ranges and Forrest's track of 1874 on the north side.

3

'Your expedition of 1875' was that to Perth , WA , led by Ernest Giles with camels supplied by Elder ( E. Giles (1876) , E. Giles (1889)); see the National Library of Australia's digiti z ed Map of explorations undertaken by direction and at the expense of T. Elder under the command of Ernest Giles : from Beltana Station in the colony of South Australia to the city of Perth in the colony of Western Australia at http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-2321 3 3792 . For the tracks of exploration journeys in the Musgrave R anges area led by John Forrest and Ernest Giles , see Die neuesten Entdeckungsreisen im Innern von Australien von Warburton, Giles, Forrest, April 1873-Sept. 1874 / von A. Petermann, https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-2324322 7 6 . For Tietkens, see Map shewing route of the Central Australian Exploring and Prospecting Association Expedition under command of William Henry Tietkens 1889 , http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-23144246 2 .

The camels, which we expect you will kindly place at the disposal of the expedition, may be picked up on the way to Peake Station.

The expedition having penetrated in a westerly direction towards Queen Victoria Springs, thence to Mount Weld, long. 122° 20' E. lat. 28° 40' S., and having thus established a new geographical line across the continent, would then turn northwards towards Weld Springs, crossing Giles' track of your expedition of 1876; would then advance as far as Mount Macpherson, at the head of the Oakover River, the point reached by Gregory's expedition of 1861, where, if necessary, replenishment of provisions might be effected.

Resuming the journey in an easterly direction through the second large patch of unexplored territory, the party would again endeavour to keep away as far as possible from any hitherto known point, and would proceed easterly between Lake Macdonald of Tietkins' expedition

4

William Tietkens.

of 1889, and Termination Lake

5

Now Lake Gregory, WA.

of Augustus Gregory's expedition of 1856.

6

See National Library of Australia digitised map for the relevant part of Gregory's exploration, '[Map showing part of route taken by North Australian Exploring Expedition under the command of A.C. Gregory]', https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-232107 0 28

During this part of the journey, by making assiduous enquiries through aboriginal interpreters the fate of Dr. Leichhardt and of his companions might perhaps be cleared up. This achievement we trust will fall to the share of your contemplated expedition. All this could probably be accomplished by moderately swift movements within one season, and thus the largest blanks on the map of Australia would be filled up to a considerable extent.

Should the season and other circumstances prove favourable, it would then be highly desirable to continue the party in the field for some months longer, as during the extra three or four months nearly double the work of exploring the country at several points on both sides of the direct route could be accomplished, and contingent upon the condition of the men and camels admitting of a longer stay in the field, the blank space on the map to the east and between Lake Termination and the telegraph line, could also be explored.

The Council would further respectfully submit to you the advisability of the exploring party being ready for its start from the Peake Station not later than the beginning of March, 1891, in order that full advantage could be taken of the coming season. In the event of these suggestions meeting with your approbation, subject to whatever alterations you may deem fit, we venture to ask the favour of an answer by cable,

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Elder was visiting Europe at this time.

so that early preparations for the new enterprise can be made.

As regards the constitution of the exploring party, bearing in view your wish that it should be thoroughly scientific, the Council beg to submit for your favourable consideration the following appointments:

1st. Leader of the Expedition and principal surveyor.

2nd. Second in Command and assistant surveyor, acting also as Geologist, unless that duty should devolve on some other officer of the party.

3rd. Medical Officer, who probably could also act as botanist.

4th. Zoologist.

5th. Photographer, unless one of the other members of the party could act as such.

6th. Overseer and Storekeeper.

The number of men required for ordinary duties, such as camel driving, cooking and various field work, could be determined hereafter.

The Council has refrained from entering into a detailed estimate of the cost likely to be involved by carrying out the plan as sketched above, but my colleagues, as well as myself, wish to offer at the very outset their assurance that due economy will be studied throughout the arrangements, so far as may be compatible with efficiency.

Next we beg to bring under your favourable notice, that after consultations with the other branches of the Royal Geographical Society of Australasia, this Council is unanimously in favour of the appointment of Mr. Charles Winnecke to the leadership of your Expedition, but wishes to mention also the names of Mr. Ernest Giles, Mr. David Lindsay, F.R.G.S., Mr. Carruthers, and Mr. Stanley Milroy, the latter highly eligible for the post of Second in Command, on account of his extensive surveying experience in Central Queensland.

8

In the event, Lindsay was appointed leader.

Allow me finally to convey to you the assurance of this Council, that nothing shall be left undone on our part to make the results of the intended enterprise commensurate with the expectations of its noble initiator and sustainer.

Regardfully always yours,

Ferdinand von Mueller,

President of the R.G.S.A., Victorian Branch.

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