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James Burness & Sons
London and 3, Bute Crescent - Cardiff
138, Leadenhall Street

London, 10th December 1917
Messrs Worms & Co - Paris

Dear Sirs,
Alfred Holt & C°. We have to acknowledge receipt of your private lines of the 8th inst. enclosing copy of letter you have received from the above named friends in connection with the note which you had addressed to them with reference to the 5/- charge for Emergency Manipulating Expenses at Port Said and their desire to be informed whether the same extra charge would apply to any coal which they might consign to your care for transhipment purposes and to resupply to their steamers - which we had already taken down in shorthand from your dictation over the telephone on Saturday. We note all you say in connection therewith and we quite agree with you that it would be inadvisable to consult Messrs. Lambert Brothers Ltd., about the matter, and if you will allow us to say so we think that under the circumstances your reply to Messrs. Alfred Holt & Co. that you must communicate with your Port Said House upon the subject is the most diplomatic answer that you could have made to their communication.
We hope the representations which you are submitting to your Authorities with a view to your firm (as the French Government Contractors) being put upon the same footing with regard to the freedom of your plant as has been done in the case of the Port Said & Suez Canal Company by the British Admiralty, may be attended with the success which in equity it deserves.
We are, dear Sirs,
Yours truly,

James Burness & Sons