The correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller: 12/5/96. ¶ ¶ You have always been so obliging, dear Mr Tepper, that I also ask you today for something. Can you provide information for me whether Mr Calvert, who is just now having an expedition org...

Document information

Physical location:

RB MSS M198, Library, Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne. 96.05.12

Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to Otto Tepper, 1896-05-12. 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/96-05-12>, accessed September 11, 2025

MS annotation by Tepper: 'Reply 14.5.96'. Letter not found.

12/5/96.

Sie sind immer so gefällig gewesen, lieber Herr Tepper, dass ich auch heute Sie um etwas bitte. Können Sie mir Auskunft verschaffen, ob Mr Calvert, welcher eine Expedition eben ausrichten lässt in Adelaide, aber sich einstweilen in London aufhält; ein Ansässiger Ihrer Colonie ist. Auch möchte ich gern etwas über seine Lebens-Verhältnisse wissen. Ich habe mit einem Mr Calvert zu Adelaide correspondirt, es mag aber nicht der sein, welcher das neue Unternehmen ausführen lasst.

Der Grund der Vorfrage ist, dass ich kurz auf die neue Expedition eingehen muss in meiner Präsidenten Rede welche ich vor der RGSA zu geben habe in der Mitte nächste Woche.

Ich habe Sie noch immer wie manche andere Correspondenten mit den Namen der letzte mir zugesandten Pflanzen versehen, aber ich habe fast gar keine Zeit für phytographische Arbeiten gehabt während der letzten Monaten, u die wenigen Stunden welche ich frei machen könnte mussten der Pfl Sammlungen der Elder Ex gewidmet, worüber jetzt eine langen Abhandlung von Prof. Tate u mir durch die Presse geht. In der 2tn Hälfte von 1896 werde ich das Benennen von Pflanzen wieder [unter]nehmen können.

Immer Ihre

Ferd. von Mueller.

12/5/96.

You have always been so obliging, dear Mr Tepper, that I also ask you today for something. Can you provide information for me whether Mr Calvert, who is just now having an expedition organized in Adelaide, but in the meantime stays in London, is an inhabitant of your colony. Also I would like to know something about his lifestyle. I have corresponded with a Mr Calvert

In January 1896, the South Australian Branch of the Royal Geographical Society of Australasia accepted an offer from A. F. Calvert to finance an expedition to open a stock route from the Northern Territory to the goldfields in WA. Calvert had been in Australia earlier in the 1890s, went back to England, returned to Australia in 1895, and was in England again by 1897. No correspondence with M has been found.

at Adelaide, but it may not be him who is having the new undertaking carried out.

The reason for my question is that I have to go briefly into the new expedition in my presidential address, which I have to give before the Royal Geographical Society of Australasia in the middle of next week.

Address given on 20 May 1896, reported in Transactions of the Royal Geographical Society of Australasia (Victorian Branch) vol. 14, pp. 14-15. M mentioned the 'expedition about to start from Adelaide under the auspices and at the expense of Mr. A. F. Calvert'. Calvert failed to meet the expenses.

I have still to provide you, just like many other correspondents, with the names of the plants last sent to me, but have had almost no time at all for phytographical work during the last months, and the few hours that I could make free had to be devoted to the plant collections of the Elder Expedition, about which now a long paper from Professor Tate and me is going through the press.

B96.14.02.

In the second half of 1896 I will be able to undertake the naming of plants again.

Always your

Ferd. von Mueller.