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Physical location:
A38, Royal Geographical Society of Australasia (Victorian Branch), Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales, Sydney. 96.04.04Preferred Citation:
Ferdinand von Mueller to Alexander Macdonald, 1896-04-04. 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//letters/1890-6/1896/96-04-04-final.odt>, accessed June 13, 2026
4/4/96
In a clear writing herewith,
dear Mr Macdonald, I give my views on the two propositions. Please keep it, though
the remarks are
only intended for you
at present You may regard the realisation of Mr W.'s
proposals not so easy, after you have read these notes of mine. We can have a Council
meeting, when you have got an answer from Brisbane.
Do you think that from the many, who intended so kindly to come to any meeting at Warnambool,
many
would jo[in] even as ordinary members I think not.
1
Enclosure not found.
2
'Mr W.' not identified.
3
The report of the Council meeting held on 10 March 1996 includes, under 'Correspondence',
'
correspondence with the Queensland ranch of the
S
ociety, re
- proposal to hold a Geographical Conference with a view to Federation of the Branches,
and also in furtherance
of An
ta
r
ctic exploration, was read
'.
At the Council meeting
on
12 May
1896
,
'
A suggestion from the Council of the NSW Branch of the Royal Geographical Society
of Australasia to publish a monthly journal containing the proceedings of all the
Australian branches, was received and discussed
, a
nd agreed to, subject to concurrence of the Queensland and S
outh
A
ustralia
branches
' (
Transactions of the Royal Geographical Society of Australasia (Victoria),
vol
. 14
(1897)
,
pp.
13, 1
4).
It is not clear
whether this comment
b
y M refers to either of these reports
,
nor whether
'
Mr W
.'
is the
a
uthor of
any
of these proposals.
4
At a meeting of the Council on 1 April 1896, under the heading 'Proposed Annual Excursion',
'Correspondence was read from Mr. W. T. Manifold of Camperdown, and Mr. Joseph Archibald
of Warrnambool, as to arrangements for an excursion to both localities named, and
it was resolved to postpone further consideration of the matter' (Transactions of the Royal Geographical Society of Australasia (Victoria), vol. 14 (1896), p. 13) (Camperdown and Warrnambool both Vic). Similar concerns about the utility of visiting Warrnambool in the hope of attracting
members had been expressed In M to A. Macdonald, 10 March 1896.
Always regardfully
your
Ferd von Mueller
If each member of Council went solely to adress
one
town, we might get good results at small [expense.]