Impressive - although I think "why is there a hippo?!" will remain the first reason on my list for now.

Since it was obvious that B from common sense this research was a waste of money. The researchers should have worked on something actually important instead.
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Since it is obvious that not B from common sense clearly the corrupt researchers have been unduly influenced by extravagant funding

I have concluded that it is a play on "right man in the right place" (or "for the right place") which seems to have become a popular meme about 1855 in both UK and USA.

I found it used in several other publications of a similar age, including the Atlantic Almanac of 1873 pretty much as people use it now so I think it was likely in common usage before Mongredien wrote it down... I adjusted my search... Hugh Macdonald writing in 1857 "Days at the coast..."

How about "Trees & Shrubs for English Plantations: A Selection and Description of the Most Ornamental Trees" by Augustus Mongredien, 1870