Report of the 

 )lony. The f 

 " Melbourne, September 15^ 1858. 



trates throughout the colony. The following is the circular 

 referred to : — 



" Sir, 



' ' At a public meeting held at the Mechanics' Institute, Mel- 

 bourne, on the 1st instant, Sir W. F. Stawell in the chair, 

 the undermentioned gentlemen were appointed a committee 

 to take the necessary steps for raising £2000 by public sub- 

 scription, to be applied to the purpose of exploring the interior 

 of the colony ; a donation of £1000 having been made for 

 that object, coupled with the proviso that double that sum 

 should be subscribed by the public within twelve-months 

 from the present date. The committee, consisting of Sir 

 W. F. Stawell, the Hon. J. Hodgson, M.L.C., Professor 

 M'Coy, Dr. Mueller, and Mr. James Smith, to which Dr. 

 Macadam has been appointed honorary secretary, and Dr. 

 Wilkie treasurer, was limited in number for the sake of 

 securing a greater amount of individual responsibility as 

 regards its financial administration; but as soon as it has 

 discharged the first duty delegated to it, that of collecting 

 the sum specified above, it is pledged to co-operate with 

 the Exploration Committee of the Philosophical Institute, in 

 concerting measures for the prudent, economical and efficient 

 expenditure of the Exploration Fund. That fund there 

 is every reason to believe will be augmented by a grant 

 from Government; and the aggregate amount, it is confi- 

 dently hoped, will suffice to proseeute the enterprise to a 

 thoroughly successful issue. In the mean time I have to solicit, 

 on behalf of the committee, the exercise of your local influence 

 (either by the formation of sub-committees or otherwise) in 

 procuring subscriptions to an object which is national in 

 character, and must secure the approbation of every Austra- 

 lian who is anxious to promote the material prosperity of his 

 country, to enlarge the boundaries of knowledge, to clear up 

 the mystery which envelopes the fate of poor Leichhardt, and 

 ao facilitate our intercourse with the other hemisphere. The 

 Government have promised to place a sum of money on the 

 estimates for the introduction of twenty or thirty camels, to 

 be employed in traversing the sandy deserts supposed to exist 

 in the interior, and the time appears to have arrived when we 

 may undertake the work of exploration under the most 

 favorable conditions of success, and may worthily emulate 

 the laudable example which has been set us by the adjoining 

 colonies. 



