The Chairman, in opening the proceedings, congratulated the assembly upon
having met together to pay a mark of respect to their distinguished
fellow-countrymen, Messrs. Landsborough and McKinlay. (Applause.) They
were doubtless aware of the circumstances under which those gentlemen had
become conspicuous amongst the Australian community. Immediately upon the
discovery of any danger attending the Victorian explorers Messrs. Burke
and Wills--upon discovering that there was a possibility of their being
unable to surmount the difficulties which surrounded them in the desert,
it was thought desirable to start contingent expeditions from the
neighbouring colonies, as well as from Victoria, in search of them. The
people of Melbourne had assembled that evening to congratulate those
distinguished gentlemen, Messrs. Landsborough and McKinlay, upon their
safe return from their expeditions. They most cheerfully volunteered
their services to the respective Governments under which they lived to
proceed in search of Burke and Wills, and everyone was aware to some
extent of the result of their labours. They had been most successful
explorers. They proceeded in cheerfulness to encounter the dangers of the
desert, such as in the eye of every individual unaccustomed to bush
travelling seemed insurmountable. (Hear, hear.) They had all heard
something of Mr. Landsborough's expedition from the statement which he
had made before the Royal Society, and they knew something also of the
expedition undertaken by Mr. McKinlay. The immense difficulties which
each had experienced placed both gentlemen side by side as great and
successful explorers. (Cheers.) Having briefly directed attention to the
circumstances under which the meeting had assembled, he would detain them
very little longer. He was sure that they had done their duty as
inhabitants of Victoria in meeting to welcome back again to this colony
the gentlemen who had been sent out in search of those who first crossed
the continent of Australia and brought into conspicuous notice the great
enterprise, which was first initiated by the colony of Victoria, of