Ferdinand von Mueller

The byefollowing draft, dear Mr Macdonald, I had prepared immediately after the appointment of the subcommittee for the Stanley Adress;

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Draft not found. The note is unsigned but is in M's hand. MS dated to October 1891 as the latest likely date it would have been written in preparation for the forthcoming visit of Henry M. Stanley to Melbourne, during which he was received at a meeting of the Victorian Branch of the Royal Geographical Society of Australasia on 11 November (see M and Macdonald to H. M. Stanley, 11 November 1891).

but as Mr Shillinglaw's mind is so particularly well framed for purposes of this kind, and as such a writing of welcome may be much criticized here and abroad, I hesitated to send it off to you, til he and the other Committee-members had met. That could be simultaneously at your House on Monday, and perhaps you could send a copy on to Mr Shillinglaw before, and I will under take to send one on to Dr Bride before. I think, we should pass such an adress in full council; it is a very responsible task.

As the antarctics will have to stay over for 2 years, we must, I think, seek for new fields of action meanwhile, and if we could get Capt Everill away to Dutch New Guinea through an engagement of his by the Java Government, we should perhaps make a good show 1892 & 93 in our branch apart of what the other branches may do.