Early Scientific Journals in Victoria
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There are apparently few copies of this number surviving today. Its existence seems to have been overlooked previously but is indicated in the proceedings of the meeting of 10 July 1855 (PM1, xxv) where "The Honorary Secretary . . . intimated . . . that the Linnaean Society, of London, to which a copy of the first number of the Philosophical Society's transactions had been sent, acknowledged the receipt of same . . .". Verification is provided in the "Catalogue of the Library of the Linnean Society" (S1) where "Victoria:- Transactions of the Philosophical Society. Vol. 1. No. 1. Melbourne, 1854. 8 vo. " is listed with Dr. F. Mueller as the donor. I have examined an original copy of this number owned by T. Darragh, Melbourne. It has a heavy paper cover which is clearly marked as Vol. 1. No. 1. and as the Transactions "for the months of August and September, 1854". Contents include pages 1-33 of transactions, set exactly as found in complete volumes (item C, see below) but with the reverse of page 33 left blank. Proceedings covering the meetings of 12 August and 10 and 18 September 1854, are also included, so that publication of this number must have been after 18 September 1854.
An estimate from James J. Blundell & Co. for the publication of the Transactions "to be published this month" was approved by Council on 5 September 1854 (CM1). From this, and from the speed of publication in the era concerned, it is probable that the number appeared before the end of September. It was almost certainly published by 8 November, as it was then resolved by Council (CM1) that "members taking twenty copies of the Transactions of the Society and upwards should obtain the same at cost price." On 22 November 1854 (CM1) bills passed for payment by Council included one to Blundell & Co. for "Publication of Transactions," showing that Vol. 1. No. 1. must have been published by that date.
The back cover of the original copy of Vol. 1. No. 1. bears a note that "No. 2. will be published on the 1st of January, 1855." I can find no evidence of a No. 2. ever appearing.
Organisations in Australian Science at Work - Philosophical Society of Victoria
People in Bright Sparcs - Mueller, Dr Ferdinand
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Royal Society of Victoria |  |
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