Document information

Physical location:

GRG 35/20, vol. 180, outward letterpress copy books, p. 1470, Department of Lands, State Records of South Australia, Adelaide. 93.07.21

Preferred Citation:

George Goyder to Ferdinand von Mueller, 1893-07-21. 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/1890-6/1893/93-07-21-final.odt>, accessed June 13, 2026

21st July 1893
My Dear Baron,
The plans asked for in your note of the 14th
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Letter not found.
have been duly forwarded to you. Copies of the Report & appendicies will also be sent to you when printed.
Tietkins writes that from the description given by Lindsay, and from that obtained personally by him from Helms He is satisfied that Lindsay was never at the "Victoria Springs" of Giles
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When the Royal Geographical Society of Australasia's SA branch questioned by telegram David Lindsay's identification of Ernest Giles's 'Queen Victoria's Spring' that he had reported as lacking water (Lindsay (1893), p. 107), he replied that he was certain it was the same place that Giles described (Lindsay (1893), pp. 123-4).The map accompanying Lindsay's report names 'Queen Victoria's Spring' at camp 60, with the note, 'There is no spring, only a Soakage in the centre of about 40 acres of grass land, surrounded by pines, white gums, mallee, spinifex' (see National Library of Australia digitized map https: / /nl a . g ov.au/nla.obj - 2307 1 6341 ). William Tietkens had been with Giles when the Spring was found (E. Giles (1889), vol. 2, pp. 198-200), and after seeing the maps of the route had written to the Editor, South Australian register, 28 February 1883, that 'I am of the opinion that the Elder Expedition visited another water in the same latitude', and that he believed that Giles was correct in his judgement that he had found permenant water. Helms was one of four members who resigned from Lindsay's party on 31 December 1891 (Lindsay (1893), p. 107).
— I shall therefore make no alterations in previous maps for the present. With kind regards & best wishes.
Believe me
My dear Baron
Ever sincerely yours
G W Goyder
Sur Genl.
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Surveyor General.
To Baron von Mueller K.C.M.G. &c &c
Melbourne Botanical Dept.