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

London, 28th December 1917
Messrs Worms & Co - Paris

Dear Sirs,
French time chartered steamers. We beg to confirm our conversations by telephone today with reference to the taking over of time chartered steamers on behalf of the French Government, when you told us you had come to the conclusion you would have to undertake the business, but it would be simpler than the present procedure inasmuch as you would only have to take over the steamers from Messrs. Furness, withy & Co. for a period probably not exceeding a month, i.e. until they are allocated to a firm for management after which the latter would be responsible for the payment of the hire [etc.].
It would be necessary for us here on hearing from the French Commission to be in a position to instruct your branches to take over the steamer wherever she was then lying, to see that the hull is covered against war risk, and in case of need to take the instructions of the French Commission with regard to the steamer's first voyage.
This is much simpler than we thought because we anticipated that a similar procedure would be followed to that which now exists with the Hudson's Bay Co., i.e. that the hire would have to be paid to the owners monthly, less the deductions for steamer's disbursements at the various ports [etc.]. In this connection we ventured to point out to you that we knew it to be a source of great confusion & delay in connection with Messrs Furness, Withy & C°'s steamers because the settlement of these disbursements had been allowed to remain over month after month, the hire not being paid meantime, chiefly owing to disputes over the accuracy of the deductions claimed from the hire, but where your branches here & in France have the management of matters it would be easy for them to obtain the Captain's signature on all disbursement accounts which of course is binding on the Owner.
As regards remuneration, we note your Government's idea is £20 per boat per month, which you said you believed were the British Government terms; we understand that the British Government terms for the management of a steamer are £250 per annum but that these are looked upon as inadequate by many firms for the large amount of work which they have to undertake for each steamer in the course of the year and the somewhat slow repayment of the heavy advances which they sometimes have to make.
We quite understand that it is an honour to be entrusted with such work on behalf of your Government quite apart from the remuneration concerned and we have no doubt that some of your neighbours, although not so well equipped as you are, would be very pleased to undertake the business.
We have come to the conclusion that although we shall presently have to make some addition to our bookeeping staff the work is not such that we cannot undertake it on the 1st February or on such earlier date as you may arrange with your Government.
We are, dear Sirs, Yours truly,

James Burness & Sons