The correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller: To Her Highness the Duchess ¶ Alexandrine of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha ¶ Kallenberg Castle ¶ near Coburg ¶ Gotha 29 August 1865....

Document information

Physical location:

Sammlung Perthes Archiv, SPA ARCH PGM 328, Forschungsbibliothek Gotha der Universität Erfurt. M65.08.29

Plant names

Clianthus dampierii
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Preferred Citation:

August Petermann to the Duchess Alexandrine of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, 1865-08-29 [M65.08.29]. 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/M65-08-29>, accessed September 11, 2025

Letter not found. MS is a draft copy with much crossing out, alterations and interlined insertions.

An Ihre Hoheit

die Frau Herzogin Alexandrine von Sachsen-Coburg-Gotha

Schloss Kallenberg

bei Coburg

Gotha, 29. Aug. 1865.

Eurer Hoheit

wage ich es, mich zu nahen im Auftrage des berühmten & verdienstvollen Dr. Ferd. Müller, Direktors des botanischen Gartens in Melbourne, und eines Vereins von Damen in Australien, die es sich in hohem Edlesinn zur Aufgabe gestellt haben, eine Expedition auszurüsten & auszusenden, um die neuerdings aufgefundenen Spuren der verschollenen Expedition des deutschen Ludwig Leichhardt zu verfolgen und über ihr Schicksal endgültigen Aufschluss zu erlangen.

Indem ich das eigenhändige Schreiben des betreffenden Damen-Comitees an E. H. überreiche, erlaube ich mir ganz ergebenst, auch das an mich adressirte Schreiben des Dr. Müller zur Einsicht beizulegen, sowie zwei kleine Schriften mit einem Vortrage Dr Müllers, der in englischen und deutschen Sprachen den Gegenstand näher beleuchtet.

Da das Unternehmen als hochherziges Werk der Humanität wie es für die Geographie & Erforschung des ganzen Kontinentes von Australien von höchster Wichtigkeit und Bedeutung zu werden verspricht, so kann ich nicht einen Augenblick zweifeln, dass Ihre Majestät die Königin von England der unterthänigsten Bitte der Damen Australiens Gehör schenken & die Sache mit Wort und That (durch einen Geldbeitrag) zu gnädigst unterstützen sich geneigt finden möge, zumal das Unternehmen in hohem Grade die Anerkennung für den deutschen Forscher Ludwig Leichardt in sich fasst.

Aus denselben Gründen darf ich auch aus vollster Überzeugung die Angelegenheit Eurer Hoheit gnädigsten Theilnahme & Befürwortung aufs Angelegentlichste empfehlen. Ich bemerke noch, dass der Dr. Müller Sr. Hoheit dem Herzog neuerdings unter die Augen trat durch lebhafteste Theilnahme für die deutsche Expedition nach Afrika und bedeutende Sammlungen für sie in Australien und durch Übersendung werthvoller naturhistorischer Gegenstände für die Herzoglichen Sammlungen im Schloss Friedenstein. In tiefster Ehrfurcht ersterbe ich

E. H.

ganz unterthänigster dankbar devotester Diener

AP.

PS. Ich erkühne mich, eine neulich von Dr. Müller erhaltene Probe Samen von Clianthus Dampierii beizulegen, — vielleicht dass diese schönste aller Blumen Australiens ein Plätzchen in Kallenberg findet.

To Her Highness the Duchess

Alexandrine of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha

Kallenberg Castle

near Coburg

Gotha 29 August 1865.

Your Highness,

I take the liberty to approach you on behalf of the famous and meritorious Dr Ferd. Mueller,

Petermann wrote as requested in M to A. Petermann, 25 June 1865 (in this edition as 65-06-25e).

Director of the Botanic Gardens in Melbourne, and of an association of ladies in Australia, who with great noble-mindedness have made it their task to equip and send out an expedition to follow the recently discovered traces of the German Ludwig Leichhardt's lost expedition

That Duncan McIntyre had discovered two trees marked 'L' was incuded by David Wilkie and M in a widely reprinted report; see B64.14.04 and items cited in that entry, including a translation in Petermann's journal, B65.14.17.

and obtain definite information on its fate.

While I submit to Your Highness the letter from the hand of the Ladies' Committee

The Committee of the Ladies' Leichhardt Search Expedition. The text of the letter enclosed was a copy of the letter from the Ladies' Leichhardt Search Expedition Committee to the Chief Secretary of Victoria (M. Bunney et al. to J. McCulloch, 8 March 1865 (in this edition as M65-03-08)). The enclosure was not addressed to any specific person, but had the signatures of all those who signed the letter to McCulloch.

concerned, I also very humbly take the liberty to enclose also the letter from Dr Mueller addressed to me for your perusal,

M to A. Petermann, 25 June 1865 (in this edition as 65-06-25e).

as well as two small publications with a lecture of Dr Mueller

B65.13.05 or B65.13.06 for the English text, B65.13.07 for the German text.

that throws further light on the subject.

As the enterprise promises to be of the greatest importance and significance as a noble humanitarian work as well as for the geography and exploration of the whole Australian continent, I cannot doubt for one moment, that Her Majesty the Queen of England

Queen Victoria, who was visiting Gotha for the unveiling of a memorial to her late husband, Prince Albert, Prince of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. See M to A. Petermann, 25 June 1865 (in this edition as 65-06-25e).

will lend her ear to the most humble plea of the ladies of Australia and may find herself inclined most condescendingly to support the cause in word and deed (by a financial contribution), especially as the enterprise includes to a very large extent recognition for the German explorer Ludwig Leichhardt.

Leichhardt. In 1866 Queen Victoria sent a contribution of £100 and a message of support to the Ladies' Committee; see M to A. Petermann, 26 March 1866.

For the same reasons may I also most earnestly commend this matter with my deepest conviction to the condescending sympathy and support of Your Highness. I further add that Dr Mueller recently came to the attention of His Highness the Duke

Duke Ernst II of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha.

through his lively interest in the German expedition to Africa, for which he made significant collections in Australia,

The Heuglin expedition instituted by Petermann with Duke Ernst II as patron; M had collected funds in Australia and sent the money to the Heuglin Fund in Gotha.

and by transmission of valuable natural history objects for the ducal collections in Friedenstein Castle.

See M to A. Petermann, 26 August 1864.

I remain prostrate in deepest veneration

Your Highness's

most humble

and most gratefully devoted servant

A. Petermann.

PS. I make bold to enclose a sample of seeds of recently received from Dr Mueller — perhaps this most beautiful of all Australian plants might find a small place in Kallenberg.