Archives

Worms & Co

Newcastle on Tyne, October 22nd 1918
H. Worms, Esq. Paris

Dear Mr. Worms,
I duly received your letter of the 17th inst: together with the copy of your letter to your friend, which is most interesting, and which seems to accord fairly closely with my own views. Today I have a private and confidential notice asking me to attend a Meeting next Friday in Newcastle to consider a request by the Coal Controller to ascertain views as to the position of Coal Shipments immediately on the cessation of hostilities.
I enclose two further press cuttings, one regarding the need for liners and the other giving the views of Dr. Addison on the need for Control of raw materials and also one of the opinion of Sir Albert Stanley.
I am much obliged for the copy of letter written by Mr. Geoget to the Bayonne Groupement. I do not know the gentleman in question.
The Agent for Messrs J. G. & Co. was a Mr. Trottier, if I remember rightly. This note is very interesting because an authorisation has been presented at Newcastle in favour of Messrs Speeding & Marshall for 3.400 tons coals to Rouen for Group 9. This Group has had practically nothing from here. The authorisation has not yet been dealt with I think that Messrs S. & M. would find it very difficult to get a licence for Bayonne, as they would have to prove previous shipments.
I have come across the case of an authorisation granted from Scotland for a cargo to the Groupement des importateurs de Bordeaux (J.Hudson). A steamer was allocated for this order, but as she was on this coast the shippers, Messrs Kirkpatrick & Barr, wished to have their licence transferred to Newcastle. However the French Mission have now decided that the steamer in question must be loaded for Rouen for the Paris Gas. I still have the intention of attempting to obtain tonnage in London but I may have to defer my visit until next week.
I am, Dear Mr. Worms,
Yours sincerely,

W. Torry

I am sending to you under separate cover some diagrams of prices & freights 1909-1916. The figures may not the strictly accurate & cannot serve as any guide for the future. They are however rather interesting - kindly return them to me where you have finished with them as I have no other copies.