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

London, 10th November 1916
Messrs Worms & C° - Paris

Dear Sirs,
We have made some quiet & careful enquiries about the contemplated operations of the firm which you mentioned to us over the telephone yesterday and we are told that the report which appeared in the 'Times' of the 12th ulto. (of which we sent you a copy yesterday) is substantially correct, viz, that in conjunction with Messrs Grahams & Co's Indian Houses (Calcutta & Bombay) they propose endeavouring to capture the business formerly carried on by the Hansa Line. Then again they are credited with the intention of running a Line from a French Atlantic port to the United States; also a Line from the United States to the Mediterranean, and furthermore that they are believed to be contemplating a Line of steamers to Australia from a Northern European port. This is all the information we have been able to gather at present, and we think perhaps it is all we are likely to be able to obtain, but we will be on the 'qui vive' and if we are able to supplement it later we will certainly do so. They seem to have plenty of money at their disposal and are buying steamers of the tramp order left & right, but whether the steamers in question are likely to prove suitable for the purposes of a Line our informant seemed to be somewhat doubtful.
Yours truly,

James Burness & Sons