Ferdinand von Mueller

3/3/96.

Your genial letter,

1

Letter not found.

dear Madam, has reached me, the one of the 17 Jan, and I feel very much indebted for the generous sentiments, which you evince towards me, and for the spirited exertions, made by you in the antarctic cause. All the more grateful acknowledgement is due to you, as your glorious achievements in floral art are absorbing so much time and thought and you should thus not be withdrawn from your own splendid and important engagements. We can all be sure that you will win new laurels in the incomparably rich flower-fields of South-Africa.

2

So far as is known, Rowan did not visit South Africa at this time, or ever for any extended period.

I cannot express, how elevated I felt on your behalf, when you related the extraordinary interest which our gracious Queen bestowed on your exquisite work,

3

Queen Victoria 'accepted three of her paintings' (ADB, vol. 11, p. 466).

and that her Majesty should have alluded in so condescending manner also to myself, is one of the greatest triumphs of my life! As you evince such vivid interest in the progress of antarctic discovery, being an Australian, let me say, that Britain by possessing more territory in the far south than any other nation, ought not to remain unrepresented in the new discovery voyages for which now preparations are made.

The American expedition contemplated seems postponed,

4

No new American expedition to Antarctica took place for many years.

but Germany, Belgium and Norway seem to get ready with their expeditions for the summer 1896-1897 already.

5

All these planned expeditions were delayed. The Belgian expedition under Adrien de Gerlache de Gomery was first in the field, in the summer of 1897-8, but then became beset by ice and spent twelve months drifting in pack-ice, the crew thereby becoming the first humans to winter south of the Antarctic Circle. A German expedition under Erich von Drygalski and a Swedish expedition under Nils Nordenskiöld both headed south in late 1901 and spent the winter of 1902 in the field.

Mr Borchgrevinks enterprise

6

A privately funded British expedition under Carsten Borchgrevink landed at Cape Adare In April 1898 and spent the following winter there. See Borchgrevink (1901).

will be, as perhaps first suggested by me as most adequate, one for traversing the icy table lands plateaux towards or beyond Mt Erebus and Mount Terror, so that it will not be naval exploration, nor do I feel sure, whether it can be considered strictly a British enterprise, — but it will be very important in its own way. President Markham

7

Clements Markham, President of the Royal Geographical Society, London.

will not likely get together the very large fund, which a three years expedition by 2 steamers is estimated to cost, nor as you ascertained could in these politically disturbed times ships be obtained from the Royal Navy. My idea is, that a British Naval Exped. should still be got ready to operate in the farthest south next season (96-97) that its preparation and outfit be limited to 2 summers and one winter, so that only half the costs would be incurred, that Graham's Land, not so very far from S. Africa which has a good harbour and often open water, should be the basis of operation, that the South-African Government with which I communicated at the time of Lord Loch, should contribute to the expenditure, in which also probably N.S.W. and Victoria would share. All this could still be arranged preparatorily within the next few months, if S. Africa was communicated with by telegrams. Britain would thus not be forstalled! As for steamers the Scotish whaling and sealing vessels would serve well and have Commanders and Crews accustomed to ice-voyages.

I had a very kind letter also recently from President Markham of the Royal geogr. Soc.

8

Letter not found.

who introduced to me last month 2 midshipmen from Lord Brassey's training ship.

9

Lord Brassey sailed his private steam yacht Sunbeam from Britain to Melbourne to take up his appointment as Governor of Victoria in October 1895.

Perhaps you could visit President Markham, to whom Lord Brassey has also referred me, or transmit this letter to that distinguished Geographer.

Britain will also derive new commercial and industrial advantages from these voyages of its own, and not be shut out from the scientific discoveries, having always since the time of Capt Cook stood leadingly or singly in antarctic researches.

10

See also M to E. Rowan, 1 December 1895 (in this edition as 95-12-01a), in which M covers many of the same points.