Melbourne
16 January 1882
My dear Chris
I sent you a short letter from Hobart but as it came by the same
boat as the mail. Am afraid it did not reach you before sailing from Melbourne.
I saw Mr Jeffery of Wm Sloane & Co in Hobart twice but had no
opportunity of speaking about your business. He will here mid of this week when I will do so.
You must not be sanguine about Col Hackett’s enterprise. it is doubtful if he succeeds in getting the land he wants in the first place and still more so if he can find a place that would suit you and would be nonsense for you to throw up a certainty to go out there knowing nothing about the climate or the work that he would expect of you
In fact it is hard to know how to advise you in this matter of you wanting a station it means that you have to lead a rough life
not of the world for no pay, very little prospect of ultimate success without you had capital to invest. The prospects in Queensland are doubtful, except for the capitalist and the climate must be very
unhealthy, in the low level in which Hackett’s interests to secure for sugar, cocoa nuts and cotton, especially until cleared and cultivated. You are not likely I think to have a telegram from him asking you to go out at once so that he wanted by letter advise you what he wanted you to do.
Don’t readily give up the profession you are in, if you persevere promotion may be more rapid than you expect and another year or two service while on the Australian ???? would tend to harden
(final line too blurred)
another mail from this will find you at home. The Carthage
is likely to be some weeks in London. I hope they won’t shift you.
I will let you know by next mail or Orient boat what I hear from
Mr Jeffray and others.
Meantime don’t say anything about your intentions in case such should come to the ears of the company or those who take an
in you. Be satisfied with what you have and trust to a turn of the wheel of fortune bringing up a prize.
I hope you will enjoy your short stay at home and with affectionate
loving regards from your father
J A Elmslie
PS use your influence with Alec to study more and give Mater less trouble. He is very disobedient. McWilliams and their daughters paid me a visit yesterday they seem nice people.
J A Elmslie