The correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller: 4/11/95 ¶ ¶ Herewith, highly esteemed Professor, I am sending you a sketch of the journey of exploration that was carried out by Mr James Robertson eastward of Coolgardie in the last cool season, ¶ ...

Document information

Physical location:

Sammlung Perthes Archiv, SPA ARCH PGM 328, Forschungsbibliothek Gotha der Universität Erfurt. 95.11.04

Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to Alexander Supan, 1895-11-04. 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/95-11-04>, accessed September 11, 2025

4/11/95

Hierbei, hochgeehrter Herr Professor, sende ich eine Skizze der Erforschungs Reise, welche in letzter kühler Jahreszeit von Herrn James Robertson ausgeführt wurde östlich von Coolgardie, auch einen Abdruck von einer Mittheilung über die Entdeckung des Jubiläums Flusses.

Sind vor längerer Zeit wirklich die Photogrammata der Elder-Expedition in Gotha angekommen. Ich erbat solche durch das deutsche Consulat in Adelaide. Ich selbst erhielt keine trotz meiner grossen Mühen durch lange Zeit für diese Unternehmung u. trotz nicht unbedeutender Ausgaben, welche ich dafür hatte (privat gesagt).

Sie ehrend der Ihre

Ferd. von Mueller

Besten Dank für stete Sendung der schönen Mittheilungen

4/11/95

Herewith, highly esteemed Professor, I am sending you a sketch of the journey of exploration that was carried out by Mr James Robertson eastward of Coolgardie in the last cool season,

The sketch and brief notes, identified as communicated by M, were published in Petermann's Mittheilungen aus Justus Perthes Geographischer Anstalt, vol. 42, p. 46 (1896).

also a reprint of a communication about the discovery of the Jubilee River.

By T. H. Bevan. Publication details not found, but a description of the 'short pamphlet' in Petermann's Mittheilungen aus Justus Perthes Geographischer Anstalt, vol. 42, p. 47 (1896), suggests that it concerned a dispute about the credit for 'discovering' this river in the Fly River area of New Guinea. The author of the note (Supan?) concluded that James Chalmers discovered the river, naming it Purari, but Bevan showed that it was not part of the Fly River delta, and named it the Jubilee River. The dispute was long-running (see the Australian DIctrionary of Biography entry for Theodore Bevan).

Have the photographs of the Elder Expedition

Elder Scientific Exploring Expedition, 1891-2.

actually arrived long ago in Gotha? I requested them through the German Consulate in Adelaide.

The photographs are presumably those in the two albums of photographs taken during the Elder Scientific Expedition now at the State Library of South Australia, catalogued with the corporate author 'Royal Geographical Society of Australasia. South Australian Branch'. No published version has been found. The albums have been digitized by the State Library of South Australia, https://collections.slsa.sa.gov.au/resource/B+499 and https://collections.slsa.sa.gov.au/resource/B+8442/1-36 .

I myself did not receive any in spite of my great efforts over a long time for this undertaking and in spite of not insignificant expense that I had for it (privately said).

Honouring you your

Ferd von Mueller

Best thanks for the constant sending of the beautiful Mittheilungen.