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Origine : Collection de lettres reçues - liasse 1865-1874

Leith, 11th November 1869
Hte Worms Esq. Paris

Sir,
I am arranging with your house in Cardiff that your establishment in Port Said shall coal my steamers, and I now write you on the recommendation of Messrs Herring to request you will kindly use your influence to obtain from the Suez Canal Co. the concession to pass on of my steamers free of dues under the following circumstances.
I am loading the "Leith" at London for Bombay and the "William Miller" for Singapore and Hong Kong, to be followed by the "Riga", "Stirling", "Danube", "Petersburg", "Waverley", "Paris" and "Normandy". I have had extreme difficulty in persuading the shippers in London and Manchester, that the "Leith", drawing under 18 feet, will get through, and for their satisfaction alone, am ordering down from the Baltic Sea, the steamer "Don" in ballast to lighter the "Leith" in case of need.
I feel quite sure that the "Don" will not be required, but having gone so far, I would like her to go through to Bombay to load there for Liverpool. She has 12 locomotives to discharge at Poti and will not be able to eb down during the four free days.
Nevertheless in the circumstances, and looking at the fact that I was the first ship-owner in this country to advertise his steamers to load via Suez Canal, I think it not very unreasonable to ask to go in ballast free.
Will you be so good as make the request for me and oblige.
I am, Sir, Your obt Servant

Donald Macgregor