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James Burness & Sons

138, Leadenhall Street

London, 17th January 1918
Messrs Worms & Co. - Paris

Dear Sirs,
Messageries maritimes supplies at Malta. In continuation of our advices of yesterday we have today had some conversation with the representatives in London of Messrs H. C. Vivian & Co. in reference to the communication which you received from the Marseilles Office of the Messageries Co. under date the 12th inst., and they are quite unable to offer any explanation of same because as a matter of fact their Marseilles people know nothing whatever as to the condition of their Malta arrangements or of the fact that at present all their stock is under requisition to the Government & even though the balance of same may eventually be released it will not amount to more than a matter of 100 tons or so. We told Messrs Vivian's London representatives that the Admiralty had intimated to us that they would not countenance any firm under existing circumstances taking advantage of the present position of matters in order to capture any of their competitors' clients, and we told them in case of need we should have something to say to the Admiralty on the subject - where - upon they said they were certain there was some misunderstanding or misconception of the situation upon the part of their Marseilles representatives which they would request their principals in Cardiff by tonight's post to clear up without delay.
We may mention that Messrs. O. F. Gollcher & Sons telegraph that they have supplied one of the Company's steamer with 210 tons, which reduces the balance of the Company's stock of coal in their hands to somewhere in the neighbourhood of 269 tons.
We are, Dear Sirs,

James Burness & Sons