Ferdinand von Mueller

1

Letter not found; MS is a file copy.

Prof. McC. the D. of the N.M.,

2

National Museum [of Victoria].

presents his Compliments to Mr Bruce of Cranbourne and learning from his friends Mr Daintree and Mr Selwyn the enlightened views held by Mr Bruce as to the desirability of the large iron meteorite on his (or the adjacent) land being available for public instruction and information of scientific men in a great Public Museum, Pr McC. begs to ask the favor of Mr Bruce's cooperation in Securing for the Nat. Mus. of Melb. this specimen wh. wld. be of much greater interest in this country from local associations than it would be in the Museums or collections of any other country. Specimens of this kind generally of smaller size are very common in the Museums of Europe and America, but the two Cranbourne ones are the only examples as yet made known in this Country and the smaller of these two has already fallen into the hands of a person

3

August Abel.

who acting merely in the spirit of a dealer has offered it to the British Museum and several of the Continental Museums for sale and refuses to place it in our National Collection except for such extravagant outlay as would put it out of the question. Under these circumstances Mr Bruce would be doing a great service to Science in Victoria if he would consent to present the Meteorite to the Public Museum, the Government (Museum Department) paying all the expenses of excavation and transport if Mr Bruce will have the goodness to permit the work to be done. On hearing from Mr Bruce the Museum assistant (Mr Straubel) will be sent down to make the necessary inspection preliminary to calling for a tender for the extraction and transport of the mass.

Nat. Mus. M. 3/1/62

[James] Bruce Esqr

Cranbourne