The correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller: [The Baron states that the ship ought to be fortified and fitted during the commencing northern summer so as to leave in 1892 so soon as the ice breaks in Scandinavia. The New South Wales Government h...

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Physical location:

91.05.00

Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to Alexander Magarey, 1891-05. 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/1890-6/1891/91-05-00-final.odt>, accessed June 13, 2026

Letter not found. The text given here is from 'Exploring the Antarctic regions', South Australian register, 14 May 1891, p. 5. The letter summary and extract is introduced by 'Recently Baron von Mueller communicated with the President of the S.A. Branch of the Royal Geographical Society (Sir Samuel Davenport) [letter not found] and with the Attorney General (Hon. R. Homburg) [letter not found] about the urgency of placing in each of the colonies a sum on the Estimates for the Nordenskjold South Polar voyage, and he has also written to Mr. A. T. Magarey (one of the Hon. Secretaries of the Geographical Society in Adelaide) in reference to the matter'. The quoted sentences are reprinted in many other newspapers, in other colonies (e.g. 'South Australia', West Australian (Perth), 14 May 1891, p. 3) and, with the exclusion of the last, in England, in Manchester courier and Lancashire general advertiser , 16 July 1891, p. 3.

[The Baron states that the ship ought to be fortified and fitted during the commencing northern summer so as to leave in 1892 so soon as the ice breaks in Scandinavia. The New South Wales Government has placed £2,000 on the Estimates for the purpose of the expedition, and on the Baron's special pleading Queensland has offered to contribute £1,000, and Victoria has also promised substantial assistance. In his letter Baron von Mueller says —] As all the Australian Colonies will benefit largely in their revenues and industries by opening up the Antarctic regions for whaling, sealing, &c, none of the colonies ought to exclude themselves from supporting this. Our geographic honour is at stake. Kindly exert yourself in this grand and urgent cause.

The quoted extract is followed by 'We understand that the Council of the South Australian Branch of the Geographical Society intend to interview the Government very soon, and urge upon them the advisableness of supporting the expedition in a practical manner'. The request of the deputation was refused: see notes to M to T. Elder, May 1891 (in this edition as 91-05-00c).