The correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller: 30/7/91 ¶ ¶ In reply to your kind letter, dear Mr Mann, may I say, that in honoring the great land-geographers of Australia with statues, that such distinction should at present be limited to those, ...

Document information

Physical location:

ML MSS 244/2, Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales, Sydney. 91.07.30

Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to John Mann, 1891-07-30. 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/1890-6/1891/91-07-30-final.odt>, accessed June 13, 2026

MS envelope front: 'John F. Mann Esqr | FRGS., Hon. Secr Royal geogr. Soc. of Austr | 18 Bridge-Street, Sydney '. It bears two one-penny stamps and is postmarked: 'MELBOURNE | 7 A | JY 30 | 91'.

30/7/91

In reply to your kind letter, dear Mr Mann, may I say, that in honoring the great land-geographers of Australia with statues, that such distinction should at present be limited to those, who no longer are among the living, except in the case of Eyre , who is in a very venerable age now.

The correspondence was possibly prompted by the execution of statues for the niches in the new buildings of the NSW Lands Office in Sydney. Likenesses of Robert O'Hara Burke and William Wills had been placed in June and work on statues of Thomas Mitchell and Matthew Flinders were underway (see 'Statues for the Lands Office', Daily telegraph (Sydney), 20 June 1891, p. 11). Statues of Ludwig Leichhardt and Joseph Banks had been placed there earlier in the year (Australian town and country journal, 21 February 1891, p. 19). A letter in the Sydney morning herald, 4 February 1891, p. 5, signed 'M', had commented on the need for selection of those to be so honoured in the 144 available niches on the building. Mann is reported in the Sydney morning herald, 21 October 1892, p. 4, as saying that the likeness of Sir Thomas Mitchell, his father-in-law, was 'very strong'. The same article describes the statue of William Hovell, which was placed at the same time.

Of course Sturt should receive one of the foremost positions. Howell

i.e. William Hovell.

and Hume, especially as they came from your colony, ought both to be honored; for — altho' their itineration was not very extensive, yet it was in two respects highly significant as initiating two other great geographic exploits.

Am particularly pleased, that due homage is done to Sir Th. Mitchell.

Regardfully

your

Ferd. von Mueller.

Am delighted, that Sir Henry Parkes will let us have the whole £2000 for the Nordenskiold's Expedition from Parliament. If a movement could be made by the central council of the Australian Natives Association also in N.S.W. to get a contribution of only 1/ from each member for the forthcoming antarctic expedition, young Australia also in your Colony would so far become identified with the enterprise.